5 Facts you should know about

Chagas disease

A tropical parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi

It is spread mostly by insects known as Triatominae, or "kissing bugs"

In the early stage, symptoms are typically either not present or mild, and may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, or swelling at the site of the bite

The disease may also be spread through blood transfusion, organ transplantation, eating food contaminated with the parasites, and vertical transmission

Up to 45% of people with chronic infection develop heart disease 10–30 years after the initial illness, which can lead to heart failure

See our full disease profile

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