Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Toward Chagas Disease Elimination: Neonatal Screening For Congenital Transmission In Rural Communities, Pamela Marie Pennington, Jose Guillermo Juarez, Margarita Rivera Arrivillaga, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, Katherine Doktor, Joe P. Bryan, Clara Yaseli Escobar, Celia Cordon-Rosales

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease that continues to affect populations living in extreme poverty in Latin America. After successful vector control programs, congenital transmission remains as a challenge to disease elimination. We used the PRECEDE-PROCEED planning model to develop strategies for neonatal screening of congenital Chagas disease in rural communities of Guatemala. These communities have persistent high triatomine infestations and low access to healthcare. We used mixed methods with multiple stakeholders to identify and address maternal-infant health behaviors through semi-structured interviews, participatory group meetings, archival reviews and a cross-sectional survey in high risk communities. From December 2015 to …