Chagas disease inapparent infection in asymptomatic individuals from a Yukpa ethnic community in western Venezuela

inapparent infections by trypanosoma cruzi were detected, for the first time, in symptomless seropositive healthy individuals from a yukpa ethnic community in western venezuela where chagas disease had not been previously reported. seropositivity was detected in 24 out of 173 (13.9%) sera samples taken from asymptomatic people by using three serological methods (dat, ifat, elisa). complementary analyses by ifat revealed a low level of anti-t. cruzi specific igm and igg in all seropositive people when compared with detected levels in acute and chronic chagasic patients included as positive controls. in addition, 100% of the sampled dogs (8) were seropositive showing a level of anti-t. cruzi igg similar to that detected in humans. genotyping of a t. cruzi isolate obtained from an infected wild specimen of rhodnius pictipes, revealed the circulation of lineage1 (dtu1) in the study area. the importance of the detection of asymptomatic t.cruzi-infections in this indigenous community and its potential epidemiological implications are discussed.