A Childhood Memory That Never Faded
As a child in Bolivia, Emiliana Rodríguez watched a group of friends play soccer under the stars one warm night. The laughter stopped suddenly when one of the players collapsed and died on the field.
At the time, Emiliana didn’t understand what had happened. Later, she learned about the silent killer behind her friend’s death — Chagas disease, a parasitic illness spread by nocturnal insects known as kissing bugs. Her elders called it a “monster” that only came out at night.
Her friend became one of the 12,000 people who die every year from Chagas disease — a silent epidemic that infects nearly 8 million people worldwide.
A Monster That Followed Her Across the Ocean
Even after moving to Barcelona 27 years ago, Emiliana couldn’t escape the shadow of the disease. She later learned she was infected herself — carrying the same “monster” she feared as a child.
“The fear always came at night,” she said. “Sometimes I couldn’t sleep. I was afraid of going to bed and not waking up.”
She discovered her infection eight years ago, during a prenatal checkup while pregnant with her first child. Memories of her friend’s sudden death came rushing back.
“I was paralyzed,” she recalled. “I remembered the stories my family told me — people dying in their sleep — and I thought, What will happen to my baby?”
Fortunately, Emiliana received treatment in time to prevent transmitting the parasite to her unborn daughter, who was born healthy and disease-free.
A Mother’s Unexpected Diagnosis
In Mexico, Elvira Idalia Hernández Cuevas had never even heard of Chagas disease — until her 18-year-old daughter tested positive.
Her daughter had donated blood in their hometown near Veracruz when doctors discovered the infection during screening. Chagas is spread by triatomine insects, commonly called kissing or vampire bugs, which feed on human blood at night.
“I was terrified,” Hernández said. “I searched online and read it was called a silent killer. I didn’t know where to turn or what to do.”
Like many, she was shocked to learn that an insect bite could transmit a disease that can lie dormant for decades before causing heart failure or other fatal complications.
A Discovery More Than a Century Old
Chagas disease was first identified in 1909 by Brazilian physician Dr. Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, who documented the first human case.
Since then, the disease has spread beyond Latin America to parts of Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The kissing bug thrives in cracks of poorly constructed homes, emerging at night while people sleep.
The parasite — Trypanosoma cruzi — enters the body when the bug bites and then defecates near the wound. When a person scratches the bite, the parasite slips into the bloodstream through the skin or mucous membranes.
A Hidden Global Epidemic
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 6 to 7 million people around the world live with Chagas disease — most unaware they’re infected.
The illness primarily affects communities in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Left untreated, it can linger silently for decades. Up to 30% of patients eventually develop severe cardiac or digestive complications, often leading to sudden death.
Even in the United States, roughly 300,000 people are believed to carry the infection — though it’s not considered endemic. Each year, around 12,000 people die from Chagas, surpassing deaths from malaria in Latin America.
The Struggle for Diagnosis and Care
Only about 10% of infected individuals ever receive a diagnosis. The low detection rate and lack of awareness — even among doctors — make effective treatment extremely difficult.
Hernández and her daughter saw multiple physicians before finding anyone familiar with the disease. “I was scared and sad, thinking my daughter might die,” she said. “In Mexico, many doctors confuse Chagas with other heart problems because they’re not trained to recognize it.”
The WHO classifies Chagas as a Neglected Tropical Disease, both medically and socially — an illness that quietly devastates families without drawing much global attention.
Treatment and Hope on the Horizon
“Chagas is often ignored because it hides in the body for so long,” said Colin Forsyth, research manager at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi).
The disease can spread not only through insect bites but also from mother to child during pregnancy, as well as through blood transfusions and organ transplants — making it a global concern.
At London’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Dr. David Moore leads the Chagas Hub, an international effort to expand testing and treatment. Yet progress remains slow.
“The goal to eliminate Chagas by 2030 is unlikely,” Moore admitted.
Existing drugs — benznidazole and nifurtimox — are more than 50 years old, often causing side effects like nausea, rash, and dizziness. They can cure newborns if used early but are far less effective in adults.
Pharmaceutical companies show little interest in developing new treatments, given the disease’s limited commercial market.
Fighting Back Against Silence
Today, Emiliana Rodríguez and Elvira Hernández are no longer silent.
Hernández now serves as president of the International Federation of Associations of People Affected by Chagas Disease (FINDECHAGAS), pushing for better treatments and public education.
In Spain, Rodríguez works with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health to raise awareness. “I’m tired of the silence,” she said. “People need to know about Chagas. They need to get tested and treated before it’s too late.”
Global Recognition
In honor of Dr. Carlos Chagas’ groundbreaking discovery, the World Health Organization declared April 14 as World Chagas Disease Day — a reminder that millions of people are still fighting a battle most of the world doesn’t see.
The WHO’s global health goals for 2030 include renewed efforts to prevent, control, and ultimately eliminate Chagas disease. But for now, millions continue to live in fear of a bite that might change their lives forever.
