World Chagas Disease Day observed on April 14

Key facts

• World Chagas Disease Day is observed annually on April 14 to raise awareness about American trypanosomiasis.
• The date commemorates the diagnosis of the first human case of the disease by Brazilian physician Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas on April 14, 1909.
• The first human patient diagnosed with the disease was a young girl named Berenice Soares de Moura.
• The disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted by insect vectors known as triatomine bugs.
• Formal global recognition of the day began in 2019 during the 72nd World Health Assembly.
• The proposal for the official day was led by the International Federation of Associations of People Affected by Chagas Disease.
• The first official World Chagas Disease Day was observed on April 14, 2020.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners aim to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of the disease, which affects up to 7 million people globally.