Frequently Asked Questions

Chagas disease is endemic in 21 countries across Latin America. Patient numbers are growing in non-endemic, developed countries (including Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, Italy, France and the United States) due to increased population movements.

Over 80% of Chagas cases are transmitted by vector, meaning spread by insects. The Chagas disease vectors are blood-sucking triatomines, a subfamily of reduviid insects more commonly known as "kissing" bugs in English, "vinchucas" in Spanish speaking Latin American countries, or "barbeiros" in Brazil. In Latin America, 41,2008 new cases are estimated to occur yearly due to vector transmission, with highest numbers occurring in Bolivia and Mexico, with an estimated 10,300 and 7,700 new cases per year, respectively. Approximately 15 % of cases are transmitted by blood transfusions or organ transplants, 4% by congenital (mother-to-child) transmission, and less than 1% come from lab accidents or the ingestion of contaminated foods. Interesting fact: The bug was nicknamed 'barbeiro' (which means 'shaver') due to its preference to bite on the face while people were falling asleep.

In Latin America, currently about 100 million8 people are at risk, which represents approximately 18% of the entire Latin American population. The countries with the most people at risk are Mexico (29.5 million) and Brazil (21.8 million).

In Latin America, it is estimated that 1,809,5078 women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years old) are infected with Chagas disease. Prevalence rates of asymptomatic women range from 5%-40% in endemic countries, with highest total absolute numbers observed in Brazil (460,000), Argentina (275,867), and Mexico (243,000). These numbers are important because congenital transmission occurs in up to 12% of pregnant women who are infected with T. cruzi.

Successful efforts in controlling vector transmission of Chagas disease do not reduce congenital transmission of women infected with T. cruzi who are of childbearing age. There is a consensus that congenital T. cruzi infection will be a pressing public health problem for at least for the next 30 years, until the population of infected women of child bearing age decreases to insignificant levels, at least in the Southern Cone countries. Mother-to-child transmission of T. cruzi has all the characteristics required to be a public health priority, as it is relatively frequent, severe, identifiable, and treatable.

Every year, an estimated 14,3858 children are born infected with Chagas disease. The countries with the highest absolute numbers are Brazil, Argentina and Bolívia with 5,000, 1,800 and 1,500 new congenital cases occurring every year.

Screening of pregnant women for Chagas disease during pre-natal health care, especially when they are born in an endemic area, has the potential to prevent significant disease burden. The screening of newborns to verify if they have been infected should be prioritized in order to treat cases as early as possible. The earlier the treatment is initiated, the higher the chances of treatment success.