Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent in Chagas disease, is a parasitic protozoon that can cause cardiac and gastrointestinal dysfunction in most mammals. It is generally considered a disease of poverty endemic to many areas throughout Latin America. Despite increased interest in the USA, the scope of the disease is not known. Research has suggested that canine Chagas disease may be escalating in the USA but that cases may be underestimated. The objectives of this project were to assess the awareness and knowledge about Chagas disease in *dog people*, identify the rate of exposure or infection in North Texas client owned dogs and explore the history of canine Chagas disease throughout the Americas over time. Contributions include (1) survey participants who have some level of professional involvement with dogs are generally aware regarding Chagas disease but struggle to adequately identify the causative vector, (2) a baseline seropositive rate of 2% was identified in North Texas client owned dogs, and (3) a systematic review of the literature resulted in a compilation of all available canine screening efforts across the Americas over time. Further addressing the problem of Chagas disease in dogs, and humans, will require the standardization of diagnostic methods and development of clinically accessible treatment and or prevention options.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc2332659 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Pace, Wendy Lee |
| Contributors | Oppong, Joseph R., Tiwari, Chetan, Lund, Amie K., Hamer, Sarah A., Goven, Arthur |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | Text |
| Rights | Public, Pace, Wendy Lee, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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