Friday is World Chagas Disease Day

AABB joins the global health community in recognizing the World Chagas Disease Day (WCDD) this Friday, April 14. The World Health Organization (WHO) established WCDD in 2020 to raise awareness of Chagas disease, a serious and potentially fatal infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a blood-borne parasite. According to WHO, 6-7 million people worldwide have Chagas disease. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 300,000 people have Chagas disease.

Since 2015, CDC has worked with partners to increase awareness of neglected parasitic infections in the U.S., including Chagas disease. These partners have developed new strategies, educational tools, materials and guidelines for health care providers to foster awareness and prevention of Chagas disease. Additional resources are available on CDC's World Chagas Disease Day web page.