Chagas Disease Surveillance Activities - Seven States, 2017

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Parasitology
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a growing concern in the U.S. due to immigration from endemic Latin American regions.
• While most U.S. cases are chronic, rare acute congenital and vectorborne transmissions occur.
• An estimated 8 million people in endemic areas have Chagas disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review state-level public health surveillance for Chagas disease in the U.S.
• To understand data collection and usage for Chagas disease surveillance.
• To identify challenges and importance of surveillance for Chagas disease.

Main Methods:

• A review of state-level public health surveillance for Chagas disease was conducted.
• Semistructured interviews were performed with health officials in seven states (six reportable, one previously reportable).

Main Results:

• States implemented surveillance primarily due to blood donor screening and to identify transmission routes.
• Most reported cases were chronic, with limited capacity to address local transmission due to infrequent acute case reporting.
• Surveillance is vital in states with immigrant populations or risk of local transmission.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced surveillance is needed to detect and respond to local Chagas disease transmission.
• Increased provider awareness and patient linkage to treatment are essential to prevent complications.
• Continued surveillance efforts are important for public health in at-risk U.S. states.