World Chagas Disease Day 14 April 2024 | Theme & Importance

World Chagas Disease Day is a global healthcare event observed on the 14th of April every year, intending the recognition of the neglected Chagas disease – a prevalent infectious disease usually endemic among the poor populations of Latin America but is now increasingly being diagnosed across the globe.

Named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered it in 1909, the Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by insect vectors (mainly in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread).

Dubbed as the "silent and quiet illness" due to the lack of extreme symptoms, the Chagas disease annually afflicts 60–70 lakhs of people with 10,000 fatalities. It has various names:

• Chagas disease (infection with T. cruzi) is American trypanosomiasis. 
• Sleeping sickness (infection with T. brucei) in Africa 

It is very rare in Indian soil. The discovery of first human trypanosomiasis in India originated in Maharashtra, 2005, caused by T. evansi – a microbe causing “surra” disease in horses and cattle.

How do people get Chagas disease?

Infection can occur in a variety of ways. In endemic areas where Chagas disease is prevalent, vector-borne transmission (transmission through another living being, such as bugs) is the primary mode of transmission.

Triatomine bugs, such as the blood of an infected animal/person, get infected with T. cruzi, passed on through the bugs' excrement. T. cruzi in the insect excrement, when enters the body through mucous membranes or skin cracks, infects the individual.

Unwittingly, a sleeping individual may scratch or rub the excrement into the bite wound, eyes, or mouth. The other ways of becoming infected are: 

• Infected organ transplantation
• Infected blood transfusions
• Accidental laboratory exposure
• Congenital transmission (from a pregnant woman to her baby) and 
• Consumption of uncooked food that is contaminated with the excrement of infected triatomine bugs

World Chagas Disease Day 2024 Theme

This year 2024, World Chagas Disease Day theme is “Tackling Chagas disease: detect early and care for life”. This theme emphasises to raise public awareness of Chagas disease and develop more funding and support for early detection along with follow-up care initiatives.

Year by year, themes of World Chagas Disease Day:

• World Chagas Disease Day 2023 Theme: Time to integrate Chagas disease into primary health care
• World Chagas Disease Day 2022 Theme: finding and reporting every case to defeat Chagas disease
• World Chagas Disease Day 2021 Theme: comprehensive and equitable health care services for all people affected by Chagas Disease
• World Chagas Disease Day 2020 Theme: Let's make Chagas Disease visible now
• World Chagas Disease Day 2019 Theme: time to integrate Chagas disease into primary health care

Importance of Chagas Disease Awareness

Despite the reduction of Chagas disease frequency in Latin America in recent decades, a considerable rise in infections is seen in the United States and various other non-endemic nations in Europe and the Western Pacific Region. 

Furthermore, devoid of any vaccination or extremely inefficient therapy, Chagas patients’ future seemed bleak with the development of cardiomyopathy and/or severe digestive system diseases. 

Vigilance from governments and health organizations is necessary to keep the disease under check. By denominating a reminder day – the 14th of April, Chagas disease gets its due recognition. It puts expanded surveillance with improved diagnostic tools and increased research funding into the global spotlight, thus spreading the ailment's awareness.

History of World Chagas Disease Day (WCDD)

• World Chagas Disease Day was first celebrated on the 14th of April 2020, and approved and endorsement received by the World Health Assembly at World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2019.
  

How to prevent Chagas disease? 

With no vaccine and inefficient medication, Chagas disease must be avoided by: 

• Taking proper precautions: if travelling to Chagas endemic area
• Avoid sleeping outdoors and in poorly-built houses made from mud or thatch
• Have insecticide if you step outdoors
• Practice safe food and water precautions
• Avoid blood transfusions and organ transplants in Chagas endemic areas

Department of General Medicine