Project News

Joint meeting with JICA, WHO, ECLAT, and the Ministries of Health of El Salvador and Honduras on a Study of the Threshold of the Triatoma dimidiata Domestic Infestation Rate

A joint meeting with JICA, WHO, and ECLAT was held at WHO headquarters March 25 to April 3, 2008 to discuss a study proposal on the threshold rate of Triatoma dimidiata domestic infestation. Participants included personnel from the Ministries of Health of Honduras and El Salvador, as well as representatives from JICA, WHO, PAHO, and ECLAT. Technical issues regarding the control of Triatoma dimidiata and a study design to determine the possible infestation threshold level of T. dimidiata for interruption of Chagas disease transmission was discussed. The objective of the study is to determine the possible threshold infestation rate below which T. dimidiata should be maintained for more efficient control of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease in Central America.
The meeting was launched with an opening speech by Dr. Nakatani, Assistant Director General of WHO. The study proposal was revised with technical input from all participants, and finalized in a later workshop held in Honduras with by the representatives from Honduras, El Salvador and PAHO.
The meeting produced not only a finalised the study design, but strengthened multi-country and multi-organizational collaboration on Chagas disease control. The study will be implemented in August 2008.

Photo(left): Dr. Chris Schofield of ECLAT explained the key strategies of T. dimidiata control.
Photo(right): The participants of the meeting