Shelter dogs as sentinels for Trypanosoma cruzi transmission across Texas

Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Aug;20(8):1323-6. doi: 10.3201/eid2008.131843.

Abstract

Chagas disease, an infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is increasingly diagnosed among humans in the southern United States. We assessed exposure of shelter dogs in Texas to T. cruzi; seroprevalence across diverse ecoregions was 8.8%. Canine serosurveillance is a useful tool for public health risk assessment.

Keywords: Chagas disease; Texas, hematophagous triatomines, kissing bug, vectorborne, parasite, autochthonous, enzootic, parasites; Trypanosoma cruzi.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / veterinary*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dog Diseases / transmission*
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Geography
  • Male
  • Odds Ratio
  • Sentinel Surveillance
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Texas / epidemiology
  • Trypanosoma cruzi* / genetics
  • Trypanosoma cruzi* / isolation & purification