Epidemiology of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis andTrypanosoma cruziInfection in the Northwestern Argentina

Abstract

Background. Endemic areas of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) in Salta, Argentina, present some overlap zones with the geographical distribution of Chagas disease, with mixed infection cases being often detected.Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude ofLeishmaniasp. infection and potential associated risk factors, the serologic prevalence ofT. cruzi,and the presence ofT. cruzi-Leishmaniasp.mixed infection in a region of the northwest of Argentina.Methods. Cross-sectional studies were conducted to detect TL prevalence andT. cruziseroprevalence. A case-control study was conducted to examine leishmaniasis risk factors.Results. Prevalence of TL was 0.17%, seroprevalence ofT. cruziinfection was 9.73%, and mixed infection proportion—within the leishmaniasic patients group—was 16.67%. The risk factors associated with TL transmission were sex, age, exposure to bites at work, staying outdoors more than 10 hours/day, bathing in the river, and living with people who had lesions or were infected during the study.Discussion. The endemic pattern of TL seems to involve exposure of patients to vectors in wild as well as peridomestic environment. Cases ofT. cruziinfection are apparently due to migration. Therefore, a careful epidemiological surveillance is necessary due to the contraindication of antimonial administration to chagasic patients.