Trypanosoma cruzi infection in domestic canines from the town of Acambuco (Salta, Argentina)

Abstract

The infection by Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, is a complex zoonosis. Mammals such as man and domestic animals (domestic and peri-domestic cycle) or wild animals such as rodents and carnivores (wild cycle) intervene in the biological cycle of T. cruzi. From an epidemiological point of view, the dog is the main reservoir. Objective: to detect T. cruzi infection in dogs from Valle de Acambuco, province of Salta, Argentina. Materials and methods. The study was carried out in the district of Acambuco, Salta, Argentina. A total of 24 domestic dogs were analyzed by serological, parasitological, and molecular methods including HAI and ELISA, blood cultures and PCR, respectively. Results: three samples were positive by both serological tests and one of these by PCR. None of these samples were positive by blood culture. Conclusions: the results indicate the presence of antibodies against T. cruzi in dogs from Acambuco suggesting the presence of this parasitic infection in the recent past.