Social representations and practices towards Triatomines and chagas disease in Calakmul, México

Vector-borne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi (VBTTc) is dependent on the concomitant interaction between biological and environmental hazard over the entire landscape, and human vulnerability. Representations and practices of health-disease-care-seeking and territorial appropriation and use were analyzed for VBTTc in a qualitative ethnographic study in the Zoh-Laguna landscape, Campeche, Mexico. In-depth interviews and participatory observation explored representations and practices regarding ethno-ecological knowledge related to vector-transmission, health-disease-care-seeking, and land use processes. The population has a broad knowledge of biting insects, which they believe are all most abundant in the rainy season; the community´s proximity to natural areas is perceived as a barrier to control their abundance. Triatomines are mostly recognized by men, who have detailed knowledge regarding their occurrence and association with mammals in non-domestic fragments, where they report being bitten. Women emphasize the dermal consequences of triatomine bites, but have little knowledge about the disease. Triatomine bites and the chinchoma are "normalized" events which are treated using home remedies, if at all. The neglected condition of Chagas disease in Mexican public health policies, livelihoods which are dependent on primary production, and gender-related knowledge (or lack thereof) are structural circumstances which influence the environment and inhabitants´ living conditions; in turn, these trigger triatomine-human contact. The most important landscape practices producing vulnerability are the activities and mobility within and between landscape fragments causing greater exposure of inhabitants primarily in the dry season.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Valdez Tah, Alba Rocío Doctora 12814, Huicochea Gómez, Laura Doctora autor/a 7947, Ortega Canto, Judith Elena Doctora autor/a 14867, Nazar Beutelspacher, Austreberta Doctora 1960- autor/a 2010, Ramsey Willoquet, Janine M. Doctora autor/a 14239
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Triatoma dimidiata, Trypanosoma cruzi, Hábitat (Ecología), Evaluación del paisaje, Conocimiento ecológico tradicional, Control de plagas, Artfrosur,
Online Access:	http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0132830&representation=PDF
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