Strategy for the Development of Vaccines Against Chagas Disease

Abstract

Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major public health issue, particularly in the Americas. There are approximate- ly 10 million infected people and more than ten thousand annual deaths due to this parasite. T. cruzi infection usually results in parasite persistence in the infected host. The available therapeutic agents have limited efficacy in these chronic infections and also have significant side effects which limit their usefulness. There are limitations to the innate and acquired immune responses to the infection in a non-immunized host. Currently, no vaccine is available for protecting against T. cruzi infection, despite considerable research in this area. A safe, effective and reliable prophylactic vaccine should significantly reduce the threat of T. cruzi infections and prevent Chagas disease. In addition, an efficient therapeutic vaccine should improve the outcome of treatments. Research indicates that the development of vaccines against T. cruzi infection is feasible and highly significant. This article reviews efforts to develop vaccines against Chagas disease. In addition, the authors discuss a new strategy to develop safe and effective vaccines against T. cruzi infection.