Chagas: The disease that traveled in the suitcases of globalization – a review on dissemination and global impacts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i10.49810Keywords:
Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, Globalization, Migration, Global Health.Abstract
Background: Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, was historically confined to Latin America but has spread worldwide in recent decades due to globalization and human migration, becoming a global public health concern. Aim: To critically review recent scientific literature on the global dissemination of CD, emphasizing its expansion to non-endemic countries and the challenges faced by health systems in detection, prevention, and treatment. Methods: A narrative review was conducted between September and October 2025, including publications from 2000 to 2025 in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, and CDC databases, focusing on studies addressing prevalence, transmission, and surveillance of CD. Results: The review identified an increasing number of T. cruzi infections in Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia, particularly among Latin American migrants. In the United States, evidence supports the existence of autochthonous transmission and established sylvatic cycles. Despite progress in vector and transfusional control in Latin America, underdiagnosis and lack of awareness remain major global challenges. Conclusion: CD has become a transnational disease that mirrors global health inequities and systemic weaknesses in surveillance. Addressing it requires coordinated international policies, strengthened diagnostic networks, and a commitment to universal access to care within an ethical and equitable global health framework.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Maria Helena Araújo dos Santos, Karolyna de Oliveira Ramos, Breno Cipriano Bermond, Ana Karine de Araújo Soares
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