Resumen

CRUZ MARTINEZ, Orlando et al. Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Chagas Disease in Communities in the Chapare, Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. Medisur [online]. 2012, vol.10, n.5, pp.355-364. ISSN 1727-897X.

Background: Chagas disease or American Trypanosomiasis exists in the Americas since before colonization. It is a zoonosis of the continent itself that poses a significant health issue affecting over 20 million people. Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of Chagas disease in the communities of Chapare, Cochabamba Department, Republic of Bolivia. Methods: A descriptive, prospective and observational case series study was conducted in regions of Chapare, Cochabamba, Bolivia, from January 1st to June 30th, 2008. All the patients (510) that attended consultation and had a prior diagnosis of the disease were studied. Variables such as age, sex, educational level, occupation, symptoms and signs of the disease, among others, were processed with SPSS, version 15.0 for Windows. Results: The predominant sex was found to be the feminine; the more frequent age group was the one between 46 and 55 years old. Identified risk factors for infection were: living in houses of mud and straw, the presence of vectors and the storing of pet’s food indoors. 79.2% of patients remain asymptomatic and only a small number of patients comply with preventive measures. Conclusions: This is a common disease in the Department, primarily linked to poor health and poverty. Vectorial transmission constitutes the main infection route.

Palabras clave : Chagas disease; epidemiologic studies; Bolivia.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )