Epidemiological data on Chagas’disease infection in a restricted zone of the São Paulo State

Abstract

The author after commenting the lack of systematic studies in epidemiology of Chagas disease in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, gives the results obtained inthe initial phase of a survey made in a small locality (Núcleo Colonial Barão de Antonina, Itaporanga, São Paulo). Four persons out of 50, who lived in houses in which were found infected kissing-bugs, showed Trypanosoma cruzi in the peripheral blood, giving a significant result of 8%. This result emphazises the value of the xenodiagnostic as a means of defecting the disease, either in the acute ar chronic phase. Attention is called to the relative efficiency of the thick-film method in comparison to the good results obtained with the xenodiagnostic. A small number of intradermoreaction employed did not give good results to the author. Further experiments, however, must be made. Every sort of houses are mentioned, and commented in relation to the possibilities of being good breeding places for the kissing-bugs.