Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
08:48
In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase
Published on: November 5, 2021
Chagas disease, France
François-Xavier Lescure1, Ana Canestri, Hugues Melliez
1Hôpital Tenon AP-HP, Paris, France. xavier.lescure@tnn.aphp.fr
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|April 9, 2008
Summary
Chagas disease (CD) is a Latin American parasitic infection. Nine imported cases were documented in France between 2004 and 2006, highlighting its potential spread.
Area of Science:
- Tropical medicine
- Infectious diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Chagas disease (CD) is endemic to Latin America, with highest prevalence in Bolivia.
- The disease is occasionally observed in North America due to migration from endemic regions.
- CD is considered rare in Europe.
Observation:
- This report details nine cases of imported Chagas disease in France.
- The cases were identified between 2004 and 2006.
- These cases represent instances of the disease occurring outside its typical geographic range.
Findings:
- Nine cases of imported Chagas disease were identified in France over a two-year period.
- The data indicates the presence of Chagas disease in non-endemic European countries.
- This finding underscores the importance of surveillance for imported tropical diseases.
Implications:
- Increased awareness and diagnostic capabilities for Chagas disease are needed in non-endemic regions.
- Public health strategies may need to account for the global spread of Chagas disease.
- Further research into transmission dynamics and prevention in new settings is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:25Cholera
Cholera is an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route through the ingestion of contaminated water or food.Vibrio cholerae is a motile, Gram-negative bacterium of the family Vibrionaceae, primarily associated with waterborne outbreaks in areas with inadequate sanitation. Although over 200 serogroups of V. cholerae exist, only O1 and O139 are responsible for epidemic cholera. The O1 serogroup,...
01:29Malaria
Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
01:27Esophageal Achalasia
Esophageal achalasia is a chronic neurogenic disorder characterized by impaired relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and absent or ineffective peristalsis in the distal esophagus. This leads to a functional obstruction without a physical blockage, despite significant disruption of esophageal motility.EtiologyAchalasia is caused by degeneration of the myenteric (Auerbach's) plexus, specifically the loss of inhibitory ganglion cells that produce vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)...
01:12Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...