(C) World Health Organization
This story was originally published by World Health Organization and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Webinar: The neglected problem of foodborne Chagas disease - the importance of foodborne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi [1]

[]

Date: 2024-06-25  

Chagas disease (also known as American trypanosomiasis) is a neglected infectious disease caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi). Chagas disease, which is on the WHO list of neglected tropical diseases and can be fatal, occurs predominantly in the Americas; much of Central and South America is endemic for the disease. The life cycle of this parasite is complicated, and transmission to people can occur via a variety of routes. These include: vector-borne transmission (via an infected triatomine (reduviid bug) vector defecating into a skin abrasion, usually following a blood meal), transplacental transmission, blood transfusion from an infected donor, organ transplant from an infected donor, laboratory accident, and foodborne transmission.

The latter of these routes (foodborne transmission) may occur due to ingestion of meat or blood from infected animals or from ingestion of other foods that has been contaminated by infected vectors or secretions from reservoir hosts (Robertson, 2024). Furthermore, this infection route has been associated with more severe symptoms than usually occur with vector-borne transmission. Despite large outbreaks of foodborne Chagas disease being documented, with associated deaths, the importance of the foodborne transmission route has yet to be properly acknowledged. It remains a neglected problem of a neglected tropical disease.

Anticipating a new release of WHO estimates on the burden of foodborne Chagas disease in 2025, this webinar aims to describe, and promote awareness on, foodborne Chagas disease.

Language

English with Spanish translation

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2024/06/25/default-calendar/webinar-the-neglected-problem-of-foodborne-chagas-disease-the-importance-of-foodborne-transmission-of-trypanosoma-cruzi

Published and (C) by World Health Organization
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/who/