Severe Chagas disease in Ecuador: a countrywide geodemographic epidemiological analysis from 2011 to 2021.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chagas disease is a neglected and often forgotten tropical disease caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi. This parasite can be transmitted through the direct contact of human skin with feces and urine of the triatomine insect. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 6-7 million people are infected worldwide, killing at least 14,000 every year. The disease has been reported in 20 of the 24 provinces of Ecuador, with El Oro, Guayas, and Loja being the most affected.

Methodology

We analyzed the morbidity and mortality rates of severe Chagas disease in Ecuador on a nationwide, population-based level. Hospitalization cases and deaths were also examined based on altitude, including low (< 2,500 m) and high (> 2,500 m) altitudes, according to the

SUBMITTER: Vasconez-Gonzalez J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10151800 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature