[Chagas diseases seroepidemiology in schoolchildren of Jujuy]

Chagas disease constitutes the main zoonosis in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, where it is one of the most important issues in public health. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the results of a serologic evaluation carried out for a seven-year period among schoolchildren in the Jujenean capital city. The population under study consisted of all seventh grade students of all schools in San Salvador de Jujuy. They were classified into three socioeconomic levels: High, Medium and Low levels. Indirect hemagglutination and immunofluorescence tests were performed. Percentages of seroprevalence were determined by sex, age group, and socioeconomic level. To analyze and check results, the following tests were applied: ANOVA, Tukey's and chi-square test. General prevalence was 1.95% with inter-annual statistically non-significant variations. Statistically significant variations were found among: 1) sex, where the feminine sex exhibited higher seroprevalence; 2) age groups, in which 12-year-olds showed higher seroprevalence; 3) socioeconomic levels, where seroprevalence increased as socioeconomic level decreased. Chagasic seroprevalence in children populations is an indicator that allows assessing both transmission risks in the community and the efficiency of preventive measures to control the vector. Data resulting from this study would indicate: 1) an adequate control both of non-vectorial transmission as well as of the vector, since no temporal variation was recorded in seroprevalence in the age-group analyzed; 2) higher seroprevalence in children belonging to a lower socioeconomic level, probably due to migrations of already-infected mothers coming from neighboring endemic, less epidemiologically controlled areas.