In order to determine the epidemiological aspects involving canine Chagas disease (CD) and to identify major risk factors for the disease in the semi-arid region of Paraiba, a study was conducted in the rural area of Patos/Paraíba, Brazil, where the area was divided into three sampling strata (North, South and West) and, in each stratum we randomly sampled about 294 houses, and all the pet dogs represented the elementary units of study. In each household an epidemiological questionnaire was administered to obtain information on indicators that favor the spread of the disease in peridomestic segment. Serological diagnosis for CD in dogs was based on three methods (IFA, ELISA and HAI), considering positive samples that had at least two tests reagents and absence of cross-reaction. For the rural area, the prevalence of seropositive dogs for Trypanosoma cruzi by sampling stratum was: North 6.05%, South 3.59% and West 2.97%, corresponding to a total prevalence of 4.08%. The risk factors (odds ratio, OR) were evidenced in multifactorial analysis: wall type (OR=2.59 [1.24-5.4]), presence at warehouse (OR=1.89 [1.31-3.0]), present at chicken stall (OR=8.31 [1.29-61.7]), contact with animals (OR = 9.11 [1.12-73.9]), contact with birds (OR=9.7 [1.81-52.83]), captured triatomines (OR=16.58 [3.43-80.23]) and anthropogenic (OR=4.35 [1.36-14.0]. From the results it was possible to obtain information pertaining to the epidemiological situation of Chagas Disease highlighting biogeographical characteristics of rural semi-arid region of Paraiba, raising dogs and the risk factors disclosed in the highlighted contact with birds and ecotopes operationalizing indicators to be watched and considered in the chain of transmission of the disease in the region.
Chagas disease; prevalence; risk factors; rural; peridomiciles; dogs
