World Chagas Disease Day (WCDD) is annually observed across the globe on April 14 to raise awareness about Chagas Disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, a life-threatening disease that can cause serious heart and digestive issues.
- American trypanosomiasis is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi).
World Chagas Disease was observed on 14th April 2023 under the theme “Time to integrate Chagas disease into primary health care”.
Background:
i. In May 2019, the 72nd World Health Assembly declared April 14 of every year as World Chagas Disease Day.
ii. The 1st ever World Chagas Disease Day was observed on 14th April 2020.
Why April 14?
On this day in 1909, Brazilian doctor and researcher Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas diagnosed the 1st human case of the disease, a 2-year-old girl called Berenice Soares de Moura.
Chagas Disease:
i. Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is often termed “the silent or silenced disease”, as the infected majority have no symptoms or extremely wild symptoms.
ii. This illness is mostly present in endemic regions of 21 continental Latin American countries, where it is transmitted through contact with infected blood-sucking triatomine bugs’ faeces and/or urine (vector-borne transmission).
iii. The other ways the diseases might be spread are through infected donor organ transplants, laboratory mishaps, congenital (mom-to-child) transmission during pregnancy or childbirth, and transfusions of infected donor blood or blood products.
Treatment:
i. Chagas disease can be treated with 2 antiparasitic medicines: Benznidazole and Nifurtimox.
ii. Both medicines are nearly 100% effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection, including the cases of congenital transmission.
- Benznidazole and nifurtimox should not be taken by pregnant women or by people with kidney or liver failure.
- Nifurtimox is also contraindicated for people with a background of neurological or psychiatric disorders.
Key Points:
i. In the United States of America (USA), Chagas disease affects about 9,000 infants during pregnancy and has an average annual incidence of 30,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths per year.
ii. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), it is estimated that around 70 million people in the Americas live in areas of exposure and are at risk of contracting this disease.
iii. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, around 6-7 million, people are infected with Chagas disease worldwide, with 10,000 deaths, every year.
Features activities of WHO:
i. The WHO published a new road map titled “The Road to 2030: Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021–2030” to address the burden of disease and death imposed by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in 2021.
- Since the 1st road map was adopted in 2012, a considerable amount of progress has been accomplished.
ii. At least one NTD has been eradicated in 46 countries as of 6 June 2022, and 600 million individuals no longer need therapy because they are no longer at risk associated with the pathogens that previously harmed them.
About the World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director General- Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Establishment- 7 April 1948
