Chagas' Disease Characteristics

Transmission: Spread via the feces of reduviid bugs (cone-nosed bugs, kissing bugs); bugs prefer forested areas, but are found in cracks of houses where natural habitat has been destroyed; in Central America, have been associated with palm trees; climatic factors lead to increased disease transmission during the warm season

Reservoir: Humans; domestic/wild animals (dogs, cats, rodents, marsupials, carnivores, primates, among others)

Occurrence

Global mean AVHRR-derived NDVI image for 1987

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1999. Health Information for International Travel 1999-2000. DHHS, Atlanta, GA.

Isselbacher, K.J., J.B Martin, E. Braunwald, A.S. Fauci, J.D. Wilson, D.L. Kasper (eds). 1994. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 13th Ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Jong, E.C., and R. McMullen (eds). 1995. The Travel and Tropical Medicine Manual. 2nd Ed., W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia.

World Health Organization. 1997. Progress Report 1996. Division of Control of Tropical Diseases (CTD). Geneva, Switzerland.