Patrones espaciales asociados a la infestación comunitaria por vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas

Abstract

Environmental and sociocultural factors affect landscape contact between the human population and triatomines infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, etiology of Chagas disease. This paper analyzes the effects of landscape structure on the presence of triatomines (vectors) in human settlements in a rural area of Oaxaca, Mexico. Through participatory search and collection of vectors, infestation rates were calculated in 35 communities, in 2005 and 2015. Cover and land use mapping were developed for both periods and the coverage of each type within ten areas of influence was estimated. Two primary species were found in the domestic environment: Triatoma dimidiata Haplogroup 2 (Hg2) and Triatoma mazzottii. The altitude, density of housing and surface area of tropical forest are factors that explained presence of either triatomine in houses. Priority surveillance areas were identified for short and medium-term prevention and healthcare attention to eliminate incidence of this disease.