Ecuador
Surveillance, Control and Prevention of Chagas Disease in Loja and Manabi Provinces--Tropical Disease Institute of Ohio University and Catholic University of Ecuador
In support of Children's HeartLink's goal to help prevent heart disease in children, Children's HeartLink continues to provide support for Chagas disease prevention project in the Loja and Manabi Provinces in Ecuador, working in partnership with the Tropical Disease Institute of Ohio University, the World Health Organization, and the Catholic University of Ecuador.
Chagas disease, which causes life-threatening cardiac complications, results from contact with a parasite (triatomine) most commonly found in substandard housing in Central and South America. Chagas disease typically infects the hearts in young children, but can remain dormant for many years.
The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 8-11 million people in Mexico, Central America and South America have Chagas disease, most of whom do not know they are infected. If untreated, infection is lifelong and can be life-threatening.
Children’s HeartLink has supported Chagas disease education and prevention for nearly a decade. In the past year, Children's HeartLink provided financial support for a prevention program that provides community-level education for families, health care professionals, teachers and government health officials, as well as health screenings for local children. In 2008, the project reached 92 communities and about 4,000 households, screening 1,653 children. The project also developed a series of video educational materials and podcasts to raise public awareness and educate communities on Chagas prevention.
