The control of Chagas disease in the county of Bariri, State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

With the findings of several positive cases of Chagas disease in adults by the Machado Guerreiro reaction, in the county of Bariri, State of São Paulo, Brazil, some facts about the control of the disease done by the Fight Vectors Division of the Department of Health of the State of São Paulo, are reported. Information on capture and identification of species found, infection rates and methods used from 1950 until the present date, are reported. It was observed in several areas of the State of São Paulo, that different species of triatominae react differently to BHC 30%, thus causing a considerable reduction of T. infestam in houses and outbuildings, but this did not happen to T. sordida and P. megistus. A broad serological investigation by the sampling method was performed and which is being done in the elementary schools in the State of São Paulo to measure the prevalence of the infection and the investigation done in Bariri as a complement among pre school children, through the indirect immunofluorescence method, with the help of the Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil. The work of sanitary divulgation done with the population was mentioned. It was concluded that the actual low infestation rates by triatominae in houses and outbuildings, the type of houses showing the predominance of white-washed brick construction with little possibility of harbouring triatominae - and state that natural transmission of Chagas disease in Bariri, has no characteristic of endemicity, being this county in condition to pass to the Surveillance Phase.