目前尚无可用疫苗。对疾病的初步预防策略是以控制与克氏锥虫接触的人群为基础的。必须对锥蝽、动物宿主和人类间复杂的相互作用关系进行评估。虽然当前许多拉丁美洲区域(以及近来在美国)对媒介和输血传播的克氏锥虫的控制已取得较为良好的效果,但有些通过生态系统的控制方法的使用率较低。这些方法包括对宿主进行的研究和监测;环境教育和监测;旅行者的旅行方向;和支持可持续发展以及减少社会不平等的强有力的政策。对居住于该病流行地区的高危人民进行健康教育可在减少该病发生率方面起到重要作用。
根据地理区域的不同,对疾病预防和控制的政策可包括:
减少住所内锥蝽群体的数量(例如:通过使用纱窗的方式)
房屋和周围区域喷洒杀虫剂
为预防传播媒介的进入,对房屋环境进行提高
在参加晚间丛林活动(打猎、钓鱼、露营)期间使用驱虫药并穿长袖衣服
在疾病流行区域,避免食用生的自制食物以及其他可能被污染的食物;对于有高风险的食物应进行巴氏消毒
对献血者进行疾病筛查
对器官、组织或细胞捐赠者和接受者进行检测
对新生儿和母亲患病的其他儿童进行疾病筛查以提供早期诊断和治疗。
近来,在拉丁美洲国家(主要为巴西)发现经口传播的感染(包括家族式微型疾病传染)数量有所增加。[26]Nóbrega AA, Garcia MH, Tatto E, et al. Oral transmission of Chagas disease by consumption of açaí palm fruit, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009;15:653-655.http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/4/08-1450_article.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19331764?tool=bestpractice.com[28]Pan American Health Organization. Guía para vigilancia, prevención, controle y manejo clínico da doença de Chagas aguda transmitida por alimentos [in Portuguese]. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: PANAFTOSA-VP/OPAS/OMS: PAHO/HSD/CD/539.09; 2009:92.http://bvs.panalimentos.org/local/File/Guia_Doenca_Chagas_2009.pdf[43]Dias JC. Elimination of Chagas disease transmission: perspectives. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):41-45.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900007&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753456?tool=bestpractice.com[95]Roque AL, Xavier SC, da Rocha MG, et al. Trypanosoma cruzi transmission cycle among wild and domestic mammals in three areas of orally transmitted Chagas disease outbreaks. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008;79:742-749.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18981516?tool=bestpractice.com[106]Cardoso AV, Lescano SA, Amato Neto V, et al. Survival of Trypanosoma cruzi in sugar cane used to prepare juice. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2006;48:287-289.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46652006000500009&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17086319?tool=bestpractice.com[117]Dias JP, Bastos C, Araujo E, et al. Acute Chagas disease outbreak associated with oral transmission. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2008;41:296-300.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822008000300014&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18719812?tool=bestpractice.com[118]Shikanai-Yasuda MA, Marcondes CB, Guedes LA, et al. Possible oral transmission of acute Chagas' disease in Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 1991;33:351-357.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1844961?tool=bestpractice.com据此数据提示,应提高该病流行区域人群的食品安全并进行良好的操作实践。[28]Pan American Health Organization. Guía para vigilancia, prevención, controle y manejo clínico da doença de Chagas aguda transmitida por alimentos [in Portuguese]. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: PANAFTOSA-VP/OPAS/OMS: PAHO/HSD/CD/539.09; 2009:92.http://bvs.panalimentos.org/local/File/Guia_Doenca_Chagas_2009.pdf
自从该病流行的许多国家通过控制传播媒介取得益处后,对捐献的血液和器官进行该病筛查已成为控制该病传播的关键性步骤。[1]Coura JR, Dias JC. Epidemiology, control and surveillance of Chagas disease - 100 years after its discovery. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):31-40.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900006&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753455?tool=bestpractice.com[36]Moncayo A, Silveira AC. Current epidemiological trends for Chagas disease in Latin America and future challenges in epidemiology, surveillance and health policy. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):17-30.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900005&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753454?tool=bestpractice.com[43]Dias JC. Elimination of Chagas disease transmission: perspectives. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):41-45.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900007&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753456?tool=bestpractice.com在美国,直到 2007 年之前,还未对捐献的血液进行克氏锥虫普遍筛查。从那时起,有>500 名献血者的血样被检查为该病的阳性,同时,开始出现与输血相关的感染此病的病例报道。[67]Bern C, Montgomery SP, Katz L, et al. Chagas disease and the US blood supply. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2008;21:476-482.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18725796?tool=bestpractice.com[157]CDC. Blood donor screening for Chagas disease - United States, 2006-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007;56:141-143.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5607a2.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17318113?tool=bestpractice.com仅输入 500 mL 被感染血液而传播该病的风险机率为 12% 至 44%。[158]Diaz JH. Recognizing and reducing the risks of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in travelers. J Travel Med. 2008;15:184-195.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1708-8305.2008.00205.x/fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18494696?tool=bestpractice.com[159]Kirchhoff LV, Paredes P, Lomeli-Guerrero A, et al. Transfusion-associated Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in Mexico: implications for transfusion medicine in the United States. Transfusion. 2006;46:298-304.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441610?tool=bestpractice.com患病风险取决于多种因素,如献血者寄生虫血症的程度、输入血液的成分类型和寄生虫种类。[160]Wendel S. Transfusion-transmitted Chagas' disease. Curr Opin Hematol. 1998;5:406-411.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9814647?tool=bestpractice.com通过血液筛查试验检测出有血清反应(阳性)的捐献血液将由放射免疫沉淀测定 (RIPA) 被再次检测。无论捐献者的 RIPA 结果如何,只要其筛查试验结果为阳性,该捐献者将不能进行血液捐献。
在对传播媒介的控制过程中,栖息于丛林的锥蝽种群将是新的挑战。[99]Costa J, Lorenzo M. Biology, diversity and strategies for the monitoring and control of triatomines - Chagas disease vectors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):46-51.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900008&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753457?tool=bestpractice.com[196]Guhl F, Pinto N, Aguilera G. Sylvatic triatominae: a new challenge in vector control transmission. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):71-75.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900012&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753461?tool=bestpractice.com[197]Noireau F. Wild Triatoma infestans, a potential threat that needs to be monitored. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(suppl 1):60-64.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000900010&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19753459?tool=bestpractice.com由于生态环境的改变,与栖息于森林的种群有接触的人类和家畜的数量有所增加。在多国协同,以减少南锥体、安第斯山、亚马逊和中美洲国家患者人群的媒介传播和输血传播为目标的项目下,恰加斯病传播率明显减低。
[Figure caption and citation for the preceding image starts]: Rio Grande do Norte State 的恰加斯病教育材料,巴西巴西 Fundacao Nacional da Saúde, coordenadoria do Estado Rio Grande do Norte e Ministério da Saúde do [Citation ends].