Chagas Disease by Oral Transmission: Cardiovascular Manifestations

Chagas disease (ChD) or American trypanosomiasis since its discovery by Carlos Chagas nearly 100 years ago is the most common cause of myocarditis in South, Central and parts of North America. More than 10 million Latin Americans carry the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, 25 millions of people are at risk to acquire the disease and at least one million of them will die, within a 10 year mortality of 84%, unless new strategies for diagnosis, treatment and increased access to medical care are taken [1]. With the migration of infected individuals from Latin America to the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 300.000 persons with T.cruzi infection live in this country, where it now poses a major public health concern because of its rising prevalence and limited awareness within the medical community. Through both globalization and immigration the prevalence of ChD in non endemic countries is expected to increase [2].