Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Epidemiology of Chagas Disease

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Chagas Disease

Part of the book series: Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases ((BAID))

Abstract

Chagas disease has been described more than 100 years ago and has existed or coexisted with man for millennia.

In the last 30 years, control programs have had a significant impact on the primary transmission routes, achieving notable reductions in T. cruzi infection prevalence in vast regions of the continent and even ended the vector transmission by Triatoma infestans in Uruguay, Chile, and Brazil households.

Current transmission of T. cruzi and the perspectives toward the future are analyzed, as well as the economic impact of the interventions to have a better understanding of the burden of the disease.

We believe that the transmission of T. cruzi was initiated at the beginning by digestive contagion, and, after the application of all vector control measures, mother to child, transfusion, and transplant are the essential routes remaining.

This new transmission scenario will force health structures to prepare themselves to face new challenges. In this way, they will be able to keep new infections, controlled through adequate surveillance systems to block and prevent household transmission.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Lenz R. Diccionario etimológico de las voces chilenas derivadas de lenguas indígenas Americanas. Santiago de Chile: Cervantes; 1910.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chagas C. Nova tripanozomiaze humana: estudos sobre a morfología e o ciclo evolutivo do Schizotrypanum cruzi n. gen., n. sp., agente etiológico de nova entidade mórbida do homem. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1909;1(2):159–218. ISSN 0074-0276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Mazza S. Casos agudos benignos de enfermedad de Chagas comprobados en la Provincia de Jujuy. MEPRA. 1934;17:3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  4. La TE. Trypanosomose americaine ou maladie de Chagas au Venezuela. Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 1919;12:509–13.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Walsh J, Molinex D, Birley M. Deforestation: effects on vector-borne disease. Parasitology. 1993;106:55–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Walter A. Human activities and American trypanosomiasis. Review of the literature. Parasite. 2003;10:191–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dias JC. Epidemiologia. In: Brener Z, Andrade Z, Barral-Netto M, Diotaiut L, Pereira A, Loiola C, editors. Trypanosoma cruzi e doença de Chagas. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara-Koogan; 2000. p. 48–74.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dittmar K, Jansen AM, Araújo A, Reinhard K. Molecular diagnosis of prehistoric Trypanosoma cruzi in the Texas-Coahuila border region. Paleopathology Newsletter 4. Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Paleopathology Association, Tempe, AZ, USA. 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rodríguez-Morales A. Chagas disease: an emerging food-borne entity? J Infect Dev Ctries. 2008;2:149–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Reinhard KJ, Fink TM, Skiles J. Case of megacolon in Rio Grande Valley as a possible case of Chagas Disease. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2003;98(Suppl 1):165–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Aufderheide A, Salo W, Madden M, Streitz J, Dittmar K. Aspects of ingestion transmission of Chagas identified in mummies and their coprolites. Chungara. 2005;37:85–90.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pinto J. Notes on Trypanosoma cruzi and its bio-ecological characteristics, as an agent of food-borne diseases. RevSoc Bras Trop Med. 2006;39:370–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Martinson E, Reinhard KJ, Buikstra JE, Dittmar de la Cruz K. Pathoecology of Chiribaya parasitism. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2003;98:195–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Arriaza B. Cultura Chinchorro: las momias más antiguas del mundo. Santiago de Chile: Editorial Universitaria; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Deane MP, Lenzi HL, Jansen A. Trypanosoma cruzi: vertebrate and invertebrate cycles in the same mammal host, the opossum Didelphis marsupial. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1984;79(4):513–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. McKeever S, Gorman GW, Norman L. Occurrence of a Trypanosoma cruzi- like organism in some mammals from southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida. J Parasitol. 1958;44:583–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Jansen AM, Deane MP. Trypanosoma cruzi infection of mice by ingestion of food contaminated with material from the anal glands of the opossum Didelphis marsupialis. In: XII Annual Meeting on Basic Research in Chagas Disease BI-09, Caxambu, MG, Brazil. 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Schofield CJ. Trypanosoma cruzi. The vector parasite paradox. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2000;95:535–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Carcavallo RU, Martínez A. Biología, ecología y distribución geográfica de los triatominos Americanos. In: Carcavallo RU, Rabinovich JE, Tonn RJ, editors. Factores biológicos y ecológicos en la enfermedad de Chagas. Buenos Aires: OPS/ECO, MSAS, SNCH; 1985. p. 149–208.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Orellana-Halkyer N, Arriaza-Torres B. Enfermedad de Chagas en poblaciones prehistóricas del norte de Chile. Rev Chil Hist Nat. 2010;83(4):531–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cattan PE, Pinochet A, Botto-Mahan C, Acuña MI, Canals M. Abundance of Mepraia spinolai in a periurban zone of Chile. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2002;97(3):285–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Sleeping sickness. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs259/en/. Accessed Oct 2017.

  23. Trypanosomiasis, human African (sleeping sickness). 2017. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs259/en/.

  24. Miles MA, Feliciangeli MD, Arias AR. American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and the role of molecular epidemiology in guiding control strategies. BMJ. 2003;326:1444–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Fernández O, Souto RP, Castro JA, Pereira JB, Fernandes NC, Junqueira AC. Brazilian isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi from humans and triatomines classified into two lineages mini-exon andribosomal RNA sequences. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1998;58:807–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Anez N, Crisante G, da Silva FM, Rojas A, Carrasco H, Umezawa E. The predominance of lineage I among Trypanosoma cruzi isolates from Venezuelan patients with different clinical profiles of acute Chagas disease. Trop Med Int Health. 2004;9:1319–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Briones M, Souto R, Stolf B, Zingales B. The evolution of Two Trypanosoma cruzi subgroups inferred from rRNA genes can be correlated with the interchange of American mammalian faunas in the Cenozoic and has implications for pathogenicity and host specificity. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1999;104:219–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Stevens J, Gibson W. The molecular evolution of trypanosomes. Parasitol Today. 1999;15:432–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Aufderheide A, Salo W, Madden M, Streitz J, Buikstra J, Guhl F, Arriaza B, Renier C, Wittmers L Jr, Fornaciari G, Allison M. A 9,000-year record of Chagas’ disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2004;101:2034–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Araújo A, Jansen AM, Reinhard K, Ferreira LF. Paleoparasitology of Chagas disease: a review. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(Suppl):S9–S16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Difusión de la Enfermedad de Chagas en América del Sur. Curto, Susana Isabel; Ling, Claudia Marcela; Chuit Roberto. Centro de Investigaciones Precolombinas. Anti. Latinoamérica: una mirada desde el presente hacia el pasado/María Teresita de Haro... [et al.]; compilado por María Teresita de Haro... [et al.]. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Aspha, Pag: 285 - 306. 2017

    Google Scholar 

  32. Mann Fischer G. Los pequeños mamíferos de Chile. Guyana Zoología. 1978;40:1.

    Google Scholar 

  33. WHO - World Health Organization. Report of the Expert Committee on the control of Chagas disease. Technical report series 905. Geneva: WHO; 2002. p. 42.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Chuit R, Subias E, Perez AC, Paulone I, Wisnivesky-Colli C, Segura EL. Usefulness of serology for the evaluation of Trypanosome cruzi transmission in endemic areas of Chagas’ Disease. Rev Soc Brazil Trop Med. 1989;22(3):119–29. ISSN: 0037-8682-1989.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Laranja FS, Dias E, Nobrega G, Miranda A. Chagas Disease, A clinical, epidemiologic and pathologic study. Circulation. 1956;14:1035–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Mazza S. La enfermedad de Chagas en la República Argentina. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1949;47:273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Rosenbaum MB. Chagasic myocardiopathy. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 1964;7:199–225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Pinto Dias JC, Kloetzel K. The prognostic value of the electrocardiographic features of chronic Chagas’ disease. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo. 1968;10(3):158–62.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Maguire JH, Hoff R, Sherlock I, Guimaraes AC, Sleigh A, Ramos NB, Mott KE, Weller T. Cardiac morbidity and mortality due to Chagas’ disease: prospective electrocardiographic study of a Brazilian community. Circulation. 1987;75:1140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Manzullo E. Epidemiology of Chagas disease in Argentina. Rev Fed Arg Cardiol. 1988;17:141.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Manzullo EC, Chuit R. Risk of death due to chronic chagasic cardiopathy. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1999;94(1):317–20. ISSN 0074¬0276-1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Chuit R, Gürtler RE, Mac Dougall L, Segura EL, Singer B. Chagas disease: risk assessment by an environmental approach in northern Argentina. Rev Patol Trop (Goias). 2001;30(2):193–207.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Estimación cuantitativa de la enfermedad de Chagas en las Américas. OPS/HDM/CD/425-06. OPS/OMS.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Moncayo Á, Silveira AC. Current epidemiological trends for Chagas disease in Latin America and future challenges in epidemiology, surveillance and health policy. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2009;104(Suppl I):17–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. WHO. OMS protocolo de evaluación de efecto insecticida sobre tríatominos [WHO protocol for the evaluation of insecticidal effect on triatomines]. Acta Toxicol Argent, 1994;2: 29–32.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Reports of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Southern Cone Initiative. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization. 1998–1999.

    Google Scholar 

  47. WHO. Chagas disease: interruption of transmission in Brazil. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2000;75:153–5.

    Google Scholar 

  48. WHO. Chagas disease: interruption of transmission in Chile. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2000;75:10–2.

    Google Scholar 

  49. WHO. Chagas disease: interruption of transmission in Uruguay. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 1998;73:1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  50. WHO. Chagas disease in Latin America: an epidemiological update based on 2010 estimates. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2015;90(6):33–44.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Schmunis GA, Yadon ZE. Chagas disease: a Latin American health problem becoming a world health problem. Acta Trop. 2010;115:14–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Boletines Integrados Epidemiológicos de Argentina. http://www.msal.gob.ar/index.php/home/boletin-integrado-de-vigilancia.

  53. Real Decreto España 1088/2005. Boletín Oficial del Estado del 20 de Septiembre. 225:31288–304. 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Taller sobre control de calidad de sangre en serología de bancos de sangre. Documento OPS/HPC/HCT/96/79. Washington, DC: Organización Panamericana de la Salud; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Elegibilidad para la donación de sangre. Washington, DC: Organización Panamericana de la Salud; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Cabello C, Cabello F. Zoonosis con reservorios silvestres: Amenazas a la salud pública y a la economía. Rev Med Chil. 2008;136:385–93.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Silveira A. Factores de riesgo implica-dos en la transmisión oral de la Enfermedad de Chagas. In: Informe Final Consulta Técnica e Epidemiología, Prevención y Manejo de la Transmisión de la Enfermedad de Chagas como Enfermedad Transmitida por Alimentos (ETA), Rio de Janeiro, 4–5 Mayo 2006, pp. 16–9.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Valente SA, Valente VC, Pinto A. Epidemiologia e transmissão oral da doença de Chagas na Amazonia Brasileira. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Rodovia. In: Informe Final Consulta Técnica y Epidemiología, Prevención y Manejo de la Transmisión de la Enfermedad de Chagas como Enfermedad Transmitida por Alimentos (ETA), Rio de Janeiro, 4–5 Mayo 2006, pp. 21–6.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Díaz ML, González CI. Enfermedad de Chagas agudo: transmisión oral de Trypanosoma cruzi como una vía de transmisión re-emergente. Rev Univ Ind Santander Salud. 2014;46(2):177–88.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Rueda K, Trujillo JE, Carranza JC, Vallejo GA. Transmisión oral de Trypanosoma cruzi: una nueva situación epidemiológica de la enfermedad de Chagas en Colombia y otros países suramericanos. Biomedica. 2014;34:631–41. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v34i4.2204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Basombrío A, Schofield CJ, Rojas CL, del Rey EC. A cost-benefit analysis of Chagas disease control in northwestern Argentina. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1998;92(2):137–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0035-9203(98)90720-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Wilson LS, Strosberg AM, Barrio K. Cost-effectiveness of chagas disease interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean: Markov models. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2005;73(5):901–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Lee BY, Bacon K-t M, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ. Global economic burden of Chagas disease: a computational simulation model. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013;13:342–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. ETMI Plus. Marco para la eliminación de la transmisión maternoinfantil del VIH, la sífilis, la hepatitis y la enfermedad de Chagas. Washington, DC: OPS; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Epidemiological Research, National Academy of Medicine (Bs. As.), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Roberto Chuit & Roberto Meiss

  2. Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, Washington, DC, USA

    Roberto Salvatella

Authors
  1. Roberto Chuit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roberto Meiss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roberto Salvatella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberto Chuit .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Ricardo Gutiérrez”, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jaime Marcelo Altcheh

  2. Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Ricardo Gutiérrez”, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Hector Freilij

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Chuit, R., Meiss, R., Salvatella, R. (2019). Epidemiology of Chagas Disease. In: Altcheh, J., Freilij, H. (eds) Chagas Disease. Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00054-7_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation