Chagas: The Silent Disease

Abstract

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. An estimated 6 to 7 million people worldwide are infected with T. cruzi. Chagas disease is found mainly in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American countries, where it is mostly transmitted when humans come into contact with faeces and/or urine of infected blood-sucking triatomine bugs (vector-borne transmission)1. Chagas disease is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the disease in 19092. Trypanosoma cruzi infection is curable if treatment is initiated soon after infection. In chronic patients, antiparasitic treatment can potentially prevent or curb disease progression and prevent transmission. Chagas disease patients are at risk of severe COVID-19 manifestations and should be a priority group to be vaccinated because the SARS-CoV-2 can cause myocarditis and the chronic Chagas disease typically originates a pro-thrombotic status, cardiac alterations and secondary thrombotic strokes3.