# First report of canine Chagas disease on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad

## TL;DR

This paper reports the first confirmed cases of canine Chagas disease on Trinidad, highlighting the need for increased awareness among dog owners and veterinarians.

## Contribution

The first documented evidence of canine Chagas disease on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

## Key findings

- Thirteen confirmed and two suspected canine Chagas disease cases were identified in Trinidad from 2008 to 2023.
- Clinical signs ranged from asymptomatic to severe illness, with 47% of dogs dying and 20% being euthanized.
- Myocarditis with visible amastigote forms was found in two-thirds of the affected dogs.

## Abstract

Chagas disease (CD) is a vector-borne infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a kinetoplastid parasite of mammals. T. cruzi is transmitted by triatomine bugs throughout the Americas and some Caribbean islands. On the Caribbean island of Trinidad, T. cruzi has been isolated from triatomine bugs in several residential areas where dogs are a common pet. However, canine T. cruzi infection in Trinidad has never been studied.

We aimed to demonstrate that canine CD does occur in Trinidad through a review of veterinary records from the years 2008-2023.

We reviewed 3,923 case reports from Trinidad veterinary clinics for canine Chagas cases diagnosed through histological evaluation, necropsy, blood smear evaluation, and/or polymerase chain reactions (PCR).

We identified 13 confirmed and two suspected canine CD cases. Animal ages ranged from five weeks to 14 years old, with four (27%) being less than one year old, including the pup of a T. cruzi-infected dam. Breed varied, although one-third (5/15) were hounds. Clinical signs ranged from asymptomatic (43%; 6/14) to severely ill with limb paresis (21%; 3/14). Seven of the fifteen (47%) dogs died, and three more (20%) were euthanized. Myocarditis with visible amastigote forms were found in two-thirds (9/15) of dogs.

Our findings highlight a need for increased awareness of CD among dog owners and veterinarians in Trinidad.