World Chagas Disease Day
On April 14, World Chagas Disease Day, CDC joins the global community to raise awareness of Chagas disease, a parasitic disease that affects about 6–7 million people, mostly in the Americas.
Chagas disease is an underrecognized parasitic infection that infects approximately 300,000 people in the United States and can be passed from mother to baby: as many as 300 babies are born with Chagas disease every year and most are undiagnosed. If left untreated, Chagas disease can cause heart failure, stroke, and even death. The key to preventing these avoidable outcomes is to educate healthcare providers so they can make the diagnosis and give life-saving treatment.
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagas disease is usually spread by triatomine bugs but can also be spread by an infected mother to her unborn baby. It can lead to serious heart disease and, less often, death.
