Chagas’ Disease is a deadly parasitic disease.  Much of the literature written prior to 2005 or 2006 states that Chagas’ is primarily a concern for inhabitants of Central and South American Countries and Mexico.  In recent years however, there has been significant population migration of those from endemic countries into the United States and Europe. This had led to increased risks for populations in Europe and the US  as the disease spreads outside the traditional geographic boundaries.

It is estimated that 25-30% of infected individuals will suffer irreversible cardiac, neurological, or gastrointestinal problems resulting in death.

 Chagas’ disease threatens over 120 million people in 21 countries, yet is relatively unknown to the general public.

Symptoms may be varied and many physicians underdiagnose the disease, making it difficult to accurately predict the actual depth of the problem. Parasites invade internal organs and slowly cause affected organs to enlarge and even burst.  Further adding to the seriousness of the disease is the fact that once infected, patients may not experience symptoms or death for 10, 20, or even up to 30 years, and the cause of death may mistakenly be attributed to heart failure or other organ failure because Chagas’ testing was never performed

In Brazil, Chagas’ disease is the leading cause of Chagas disease is also the leading cause of cardiac faliure for men age 20-40 in Brazil