Chagas:A neglected disease

And it’s research center

NTDs are:

Neglected Tropical

Chagas is a NTD

Di seases

These diseases, also known as forgotten, affect the most vulnerable populations who have limited public voice

NTDs have an ENORMOUS impact on individuals, families

and communities in low-income countries

One in 6 people on the planet... suffers from some kind of NTD...”

Joaquim Gascon, Director of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Initiatives, ISGlobal

There are

17NTD

1. Dracunculosis

2. Lymphatic filariasis

3. Onchocercosis

4. Schistosomiasis

5. Soil-transmitted helminthes

6. Cysticercosis / Taeniasis

7. Echinococcosis in humans

8. Trachoma causing blindness

9. Fascioliasis

NTDs17 10. Peripheral vascular disease

11. Dengue

12. Rabies13. Cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis/ Visceral leishmaniasis

14. Leprosy

15. Buruli ulcer

16. Chagas Disease

17. Human African

Trypanosomiasis

Chagas is caused by a parasite The Trypanosoma cruzi

(T. cruzi)

and transmitted to peoplevia the vector insect: the vinchuca bug or barbeiro, chinche, chipo, pito

Globalization of Chagas

Chagas is endemic in Latin America, BUT due to an increase in people mobility…

...it is now present in:

Canada>5,500

USA>300,000

Europe>80,000

Japan>3,000

Australia>1,500

Chagas causes 10,000 deaths per year ChagasGlobal

An estimated 10 million people are infected Chagas

Global

75-90 millions of people are at risk of infection ChagasGlobal

Chagasis a

globalpublic health

problem

Kinds oftransmission

Vector(insects)

Transfusions/transplants(blood/organs)

Congenital(from infected mother

to newborn) Oral(food or drink

contaminated by a vector insect)

The Chagas Cycle :

TRANSMISSIONACUTE PHASE

CHRONIC PHASE

WITHOUT DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT

2 MonthsPeriod of 20-30 years

without symptoms

25-30% of those chronically infected develop

heart complications

10-20% of those chronically infected develop

digestivecomplications

60% of those infected by the T. cruzi parasite are asymptomaticTheir entire lives

Vector

Transfusions/transplants

Congenital

Oral

10,000 deaths from Chagas each year

Economic Impactin Latin America:

The World Bank has classified Chagas disease as one of the main public health problems of the Latin America region, where it is more prevalent than Malaria or Dengue

In Brasil, absence of workers with Chagas has caused losses of 5.6 million USD.

752,000 workdays are lost due to premature deaths

There is a loss of 1,200 million USD in productivity within the 7 countries of the southern cone

Each year:

Howdo we fight

Chagas?

PREVENTION

CONTROL

TREATMENT

R+D

INFORMATION

Prevention

& Control

A vaccine to prevent Chagas doesn’t exist. That’s why it is so important to know the methods of prevention:

Vector Control Fumigation of houses where there are vinchuca bugs;Modification and renovation of the house structure;Conditioning and reordering of the house interior

Transfusion ControlRisk prevention measures for blood banks to eliminatethe transmission of infected blood

Mother-child transmission ControlProtocols for screening pregnant women, diagnosis and treatment for children.

TreatmentACUTE PHASE CHRONIC PHASE

In adults and children over one year, the disease may be curedif treated within the first two months of infection

With specialized attention, patients may maintain a better quality of life

Although less effective, the treatment helps stop the development of the disease’s complications

And in some cases may be able to eliminate the parasite

In children under one year, treatment results in a complete cure

2 MedicinesThere are only

TO TREAT CHAGAS:

But they’re not perfect:

TREATMENT MUST BE DONE UNDER A DOCTOR’S SUPERVISION FOR TWO MONTHS

OF LIMITED ACCESS

NOT VERY EFFECTIVE IN THE CHRONIC PHASE

MAY CAUSE SERIOUS ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS

R + DWITH MORE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

WE COULD OFFER BETTER:

MedicalAssistance Pharmaceutical

s

Research & Development

WE NEED MORE

...even though approx. 100 million people are at risk

Out of the total 3.063 million US$ only 20 million are spent on Chagas

Chagas receives less than 1% of the total budget for the research of NTD…

INFORMthe public about the risks and

preventive measures

WE NEED TO

DEVELOP new pharmaceuticals that are more

secure and effective

WE NEED TO

SECURE

the production and distribution of Benznidazol

WE NEED TO

For moreInformation:

www.ISGlobal.org