Chagas disease affects hundreds of millions of Americans, yet it often goes unnoticed until it damages their hearts. Due to limited testing and awareness, only 1% of cases with this severe illness have been identified.
Trypanosoma cruzi, or American trypanosomiasis, causes Chagas disease, according to a Mirror report. The "kissing bug" triatomine insect spreads it by biting near the lips. These insects transfer the parasite by skin excrement through the nose, mouth, or skin cracks.
Experts Call for Public Awareness Campaign
The condition, named after Brazilian physician Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, who discovered it in 1909, goes overlooked chiefly in the US medical community despite its potential severity. Dr. Rachel Marcus, a cardiologist and medical director of the Latin American Society of Chagas, highlights medical professionals' need for further knowledge and instruction on this illness.
