Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection in Dogs From a Yukpa Ethnic Community at Sierra de Perija, Zulia State, Venezuela

Sixty dogs from a Yukpa ethnic community at Sierra de Perija in western Venezuela were serologically evaluated to detect infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. Infections detected in intra and extradomiciliary dogs were compared, and their relationships with epidemiological variables, such as age, sex, and housing conditions, were established. The use of two serological tests, the direct agglutination test (DAT) and the immuno-fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), revealed circulating anti-T. cruzi antibodies in 63% (38/60) of sera samples from evaluated dogs, showing agreement between the two diagnostic tests. In addition, the recorded anti-T. cruzi antibody titres ranged from 128 to 4096 and from 64 to 512 for DAT and IFAT, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (P<0.05) when T. cruzi seropositivity between extradomiciliary (35%) and intradomiciliary (28%) dogs were compared. However, no significant differences (P>0.05) among T. cruzi sero-infection in dogs and other epidemiological variables were detected. The relatively high seroprevalence in the evaluated dogs suggest an important role played by these animals in the maintenance of T. cruzi circulation in the locality, which may be considered a potential risk factor for the endemic establishment of Chagas disease at the Yukpa ethnic community at the Sierra de Perija.