Documented Outbreaks of Foodborne Chagas Disease

Abstract

In this chapter we provide an overview of documented outbreaks of foodborne Chagas disease. Although the presence of parasites are seldom, if ever, demonstrated in the suspected vehicle of infection, there are particular characteristics that implicate a foodborne, rather than vectorborne, route of infection: simultaneous onset of symptoms, usually in groups of individuals with a common history of consumption of particular items of food or drink obtained from the same source, and without showing any cutaneous signs of exposure to triatomines. We have divided the outbreaks by ecoregion, and divided again by country, and this demonstrates clearly that particular ecoregions are more prone to foodborne transmission. It is notable that the Northern Andean Montane Forests, the Coastal Venezuela Montane Forests, and, especially, the Southwestern Amazonian Moist Forests are ecoregions from which a preponderance foodborne outbreaks of Chagas disease have been reported. This probably reflects the vegetation in these areas being of importance in the diversity and density of triatomines, and thus the parasite. Furthermore, other epidemiological aspects, such as aspects of the ecology, host behavior, and “urbanization” of wild reservoir hosts, may be of relevance. The overview provided in this chapter may be of use in further determination of relevant factors for contamination of food vehicles by trypomastigotes of T. cruzi, and the subsequent ingestion by susceptible humans.