American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas' Disease) -- A Tropical Disease Now in the United States

Abstract

American trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease) is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi1,2. As is typical of tropical diseases, it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among poor people in developing countries, but health care providers in industrialized nations see it less frequently and know little about it. Chagas' disease is endemic in almost all Latin American countries, including Mexico and the Central American nations. Since the mid-1970s, large numbers of immigrants have entered the United States from regions where Chagas' disease is common, especially Central America. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that many of these people . . .