In 1983, T. infestans infested dwellings in 80% of Uruguay; whereas data for 1996 show that in all departments of the country, except Tacuarembo, house infestation rates have fallen below 0.1%. This is equivalent to a reduction of 95%. In Tacuarembo, the vector is found around the home and not inside; hence its presence does not have any significance for transmission. Transmission through blood transfusion has also been interrupted; the number of infected donors in the country is now negligible and there is 100% coverage by compulsory blood screening.These data mean that Uruguay is the first Southern Cone country to have accomplished the goals, set out in 1991 by the Ministries of Health of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, to eliminate vectorial and transfusional transmission of Chagas disease.
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