Profile of chagas disease in brazil: transitions and public health challenges
1
School of Medicine, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), Crato, Brazil
2
School of Nursing, Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, Brazil
3
School of Nursing, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), Crato, Brazil
4
School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Cariri (UFCA), Barbalha, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3834
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Chagas Disease (CD) remains one of the primary Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Latin America, presenting high morbidity and mortality rates and a significant socioeconomic burden1-2. The current Brazilian scenario reveals a transition in geographical distribution patterns and transmission routes, requiring a continuous reorganization of control strategies by Brazilian and global public health authorities3.
METHODS:
This is a descriptive epidemiological study on the incidence and prevalence of Chagas Disease in Brazil, utilizing the most recent data available from national health surveillance systems.
RESULTS:
The latest epidemiological report (2024) recorded 520 new acute CD cases, whereas the chronic form is estimated to affect 4.6 million individuals4. Most chronic cases are associated with historical vector-borne transmission (e.g., Triatoma infestans), whereas acute cases are predominantly transmitted via the oral route through the consumption of contaminated food, accounting for 95% of new cases. The Legal Amazon region concentrates the majority of new records, indicating a shift in the epidemiological profile. This new trend is attributed to the cultural consumption of several palm fruit species, such as "açaí," by the local population, representing a transmission route highly characteristic of the Brazilian context. Acute CD presents a case-fatality rate of 2% in young adults (mean age: 33 years), while the chronic form records a 3% lethality rate in an older age group (mean age: 62 years). In Brazil, men and women are equally affected with no significant disparity between sex.
CONCLUSIONS:
It is necessary to share the epidemiological status of various diseases affecting global populations with the scientific community to promote awareness, especially regarding neglected diseases. The articulation between scientific evidence and public health authorities is fundamental to mitigating the incidence and prevalence of this preventable pathology, particularly through oral transmission control and regionalized surveillance.
Chagas Disease (CD) remains one of the primary Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Latin America, presenting high morbidity and mortality rates and a significant socioeconomic burden1-2. The current Brazilian scenario reveals a transition in geographical distribution patterns and transmission routes, requiring a continuous reorganization of control strategies by Brazilian and global public health authorities3.
METHODS:
This is a descriptive epidemiological study on the incidence and prevalence of Chagas Disease in Brazil, utilizing the most recent data available from national health surveillance systems.
RESULTS:
The latest epidemiological report (2024) recorded 520 new acute CD cases, whereas the chronic form is estimated to affect 4.6 million individuals4. Most chronic cases are associated with historical vector-borne transmission (e.g., Triatoma infestans), whereas acute cases are predominantly transmitted via the oral route through the consumption of contaminated food, accounting for 95% of new cases. The Legal Amazon region concentrates the majority of new records, indicating a shift in the epidemiological profile. This new trend is attributed to the cultural consumption of several palm fruit species, such as "açaí," by the local population, representing a transmission route highly characteristic of the Brazilian context. Acute CD presents a case-fatality rate of 2% in young adults (mean age: 33 years), while the chronic form records a 3% lethality rate in an older age group (mean age: 62 years). In Brazil, men and women are equally affected with no significant disparity between sex.
CONCLUSIONS:
It is necessary to share the epidemiological status of various diseases affecting global populations with the scientific community to promote awareness, especially regarding neglected diseases. The articulation between scientific evidence and public health authorities is fundamental to mitigating the incidence and prevalence of this preventable pathology, particularly through oral transmission control and regionalized surveillance.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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