Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs and cats and household seroreactivity to T. cruzi in a rural community in northeast Brazil.

The prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia as determined by xenodiagnosis on domestic dogs and cats was correlated with household rates of seroreactivity to T. cruzi and household Panstrongylus megistus infestation in a rural area in northeast Brazil where P. megistus was the only domiciliary triatomine vector. T. cruzi infection was present in about 18% of domestic dogs and cats. Two-thirds of seroreactive children below age 10 resided in houses with T. cruzi-infected animals. In houses with a T. cruzi-infected dog or cat, as well as at least one infected P. megistus, the household rate of seroreactivity to T. cruzi was five times greater than in houses with non-infected domestic animals and no infected triatomine vectors. Domestic dogs and cats are important reservoirs of T. cruzi in an endemic area where P. megistus is the only domiciliary triatomine vector.