About Chagas’ Disease

New local data on Chagas positives

What is Chagas’ Disease?

Also called American trypanosomiasis (tri-PAN-o-so-MY-a-sis), Chagas’ disease is an infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is estimated that as many as 11 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America have Chagas disease, most of whom do not know they are infected. If unrecognized and untreated, even silent infection is life long and can be life threatening.

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AABB Biovigilance Network  state-by-state testing results

Chagas’ Disease Fact Sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Chagas’ Disease blood screening Fact Sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC Fact Sheets Updated December 13, 2006  

Enfermedad de Chagas (en Español)    

Professional Articles

Leiby et al Trypanosoma cruzi in Los Angeles and Miami blood donors: impact of evolving donor demographics on seroprevalence and implications for transfusion transmission. Transfusion. 2002 May;42(5):549-55. Abstract

Chagas Disease After Organ Transplantation --- Los Angeles, California, 2006 MMWR July 28, 2006 / 55(29);798-800.

Chagas Disease After Organ Transplantation --- United States, 2001 MMWR, March 15, 2002 / 51(10);210-2.

Kirchhoff et al. Transfusion-associated Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in Mexico: implications for transfusion medicine in the United States, Transfusion, 2006 February; 46: 298-304. Abstract

Chagas’ Disease, A Tropical Disease, Now in the U.S.  (New England Journal of Medicine, Aug. 26, 1993). Includes details about pathologic and clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment.

Chagas’ Disease. Can We Stop the Deaths?  (New England Journal of Medicine, Aug. 24, 2006). A Perspective article by James H. Maguire, M.D., M.P.H.

Articles in the Popular Press

Rare Disease Reported in Transplant Recipients (Associated Press, July 27, 2006) 

Blood Banks Push for Better Safeguards (Associated Press, July 3, 2006) 

Chagas’ Disease Resources 

Below are sites offering additional information about Chagas’ disease

Resources for News Media

Experts on Chagas’ Disease 

Bar Chart: Blood Donors Testing Positive for Exposure to Chagas' Disease  (pdf)

For up-to-date professional educational materials about Chagas’ Disease, please visit www.Ortho-WIRE.com

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