Preparedness for Chagas disease spreading worldwide

Abstract

Chagas disease remains a serious problem for public health due to the high disease burden together with its global spreading patterns. However, current treatment and vector control are highly challenged by drug and insecticide resistance. Chemotherapy and vector control have been proved to be effective attempts to minimize the disease burden. Continued efforts are necessary to keep adapting the surveillance-response systems to the dynamic health systems. More attention and investments are needed to improve appropriate strategy and technology in different settings. This may be accomplished by creating effective risk early warning, addressing vulnerability and building resilience systems, implementing a vector surveillance system, as well as innovating research and technology.

Keywords: American trypanosomiasis; Awareness; Chagas disease; Community-based interventions; Preparedness; Surveillance-response systems; Vector control.

Fig. 1

Global spreading patterns of Chagas disease in the last decade. Red: Endemic area of Chagas disease transmitted by local vectors. Yellow: Endemic area of Chagas diseases transmitted by local vector occasionally. Blue: Non-endemic areas of Chagas disease introduced by imported cases with non-vectorial transmission

Fig. 2

Transmission route of Chagas disease through triatomine and humans