Introduction: The Persistent Challenge of Chagas Disease
Chagas disease (ChD), caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains one of the most significant public health challenges in Latin America. Once primarily a rural disease associated with poor housing and vector-borne transmission, it has evolved into a complex chronic condition affecting urban populations and requiring lifelong medical management. While vector control programs have successfully reduced new infections in many regions, the silent nature of the disease means that millions of individuals remain in the chronic phase, often undiagnosed until severe cardiac or gastrointestinal complications arise.
The economic implications of this transition are profound. As patients age, the disease frequently progresses from an indeterminate, asymptomatic phase to chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC), a debilitating condition characterized by arrhythmias, heart failure, and thromboembolism. The RAISE study (Research on the Analysis of the Impact and Socio-economic burden of Chagas disease) provides a critical update on the economic dimensions of this neglected tropical disease, offering a population-based cost-of-illness analysis across seven endemic countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Paraguay.
