Chagas disease (ChD) is an anthropozoonosis caused by the pro- tozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi . It is considered endemic in 21 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 6–7 million people are infected with T. cruzi in endemic regions of Latin America. Currently more than 25 million people live at risk in these areas. Originally confined to the American continent, ChD is currently becoming a global health problem. It affects poor populations with little political voice and causes stigma and discrimination. The WHO included ChD among the neglected tropical diseases. Currently, < 1% of patients with ChD have ac- cess to care and treatment, although the disease caused the loss annually of ∼752 0 0 0 working days because of premature deaths and US$1.2 billion in productivity in the seven southernmost Amer- ican countries.
