Chagas Disease in Europe

Abstract

Chagas disease is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It affects approximately seven million people worldwide, most of them in Latin America, where insect vectors that transmit the infection are endemic. Besides, T. cruzi can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, and from mother to child. The infection is chronic in a majority of cases and remains asymptomatic for years. It is estimated that ~30% of those chronically infected will end up developing the life-threatening symptoms characteristic of the disease: heart and/or gastrointestinal tract tissue disruptions. In the last decades, large migratory flows between Latin American countries and non-endemic regions like Europe have spread Chagas disease impact. Its silent clinical progression and vector-independent transmission routes entail a health challenge in non-endemic countries too. In this chapter we present the epidemiological status of Chagas disease in Europe as well as the measures being taken to downsize its public health risk and to control the disease.