Integrated control of Chagas disease for its elimination as public health problem--a review

• Autores: Sosa-Estani, Sergio; Segura, Elsa L.
• Año de publicación: 2015
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 2015:110(3):289-298
• Materia: Enfermedad de Chagas; Trypanosoma cruzi; Prevención de Enfermedades; Control; Salud Pública; Enfermedades Desatendidas
• Institución: Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán"

Fil: Sosa-Estani, Sergio. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina.
Fil: Segura, Elsa Leonor. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina.
Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is, together with geohelminths, the neglected disease that causes more loss of years of healthy life due to disability in Latin America. Chagas disease, as determined by the factors and determinants, shows that different contexts require different actions, preventing new cases or reducing the burden of disease. Control strategies must combine two general courses of action including prevention of transmission to prevent the occurrence of new cases (these measures are cost effective), as well as opportune diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals in order to prevent the clinical evolution of the disease and to allow them to recuperate their health. All actions should be implemented as fully as possible and with an integrated way, to maximise the impact. Chagas disease cannot be eradicated due because of the demonstrated existence of infected wild triatomines in permanent contact with domestic cycles and it contributes to the occurrence of at least few new cases. However, it is possible to interrupt the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in a large territory and to eliminate Chagas disease as a public health problem with a dramatic reduction of burden of the disease.