The Chagas Disease Foundation

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Chagas disease is a debilitating and often fatal disease resulting from infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The infection affects up to 20 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America, making Chagas disease the highest impact infectious disease in Latin America. In addition to being a disease of poverty, Chagas disease is also poverty-promoting in striking hardest in young adults. Chagas disease has recently gained some notoriety in the United States due to both endogenous ("home-grown") and imported cases, prompting concern about the safety of blood and organ/tissue donations. Although 2009 marks the 100 year anniversary of the discovery of Chagas disease, the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this infection are all highly inadequate.  The battle against Chagas disease begins with information and education.    More about Chagas Disease

Chagas Research Worldwide

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The Chagas Research Map Repository seeks to catalog global research efforts on Chagas disease.  Use the orientation tools to identify sites in particular areas, or launch the full map and use search terms to find sites of interest.  Browse individual research groups to learn more about their interests and needs.

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Research Spotlight

Cell Biology of Trypanosoma cruzi/host cell interactions
UNIFESP - Escola Paulista de Medicina
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Our aim is to understand at the molecular level, the interactions of different infective forms of the parasite with mammalian cells and hosts. One of the approaches is to map different trafficking properties of the parasite and host cell components that influence these processes.

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Recent Studies

Surveillance of Chagas disease vectors in municipalities of the state of Ceará, Brazil.
Gonçalves TC, Freitas AL, Freitas SP

A new approach for potential drug target discovery through in silico metabolic pathway analysis using Trypanosoma cruzi genome information.
Alves-Ferreira M, Guimarães AC, Capriles PV, Dardenne LE, Degrave WM

Gap junction reduction in cardiomyocytes following transforming growth factor-beta treatment and Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
Waghabi MC, Coutinho-Silva R, Feige JJ, Higuchi Mde L, Becker D, Burnstock G, Araújo-Jorge TC

Inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi proline racemase affects host-parasite interactions and the outcome of in vitro infection.
Coutinho L, Ferreira MA, Cosson A, Batista MM, Batista Dda G, Minoprio P, Degrave WM, Berneman A, Soeiro Mde N

Detection of matrix metallopeptidase-9-like proteins in Trypanosoma cruzi.
de Melo AC, de Souza EP, Elias CG, Dos Santos AL, Branquinha MH, d'Ávila-Levy CM, Dos Reis FC, de Araujo Lima AP, de Souza Pereira MC, Meirelles MN, Vermelho AB

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