One Health initiative to control and eliminate Chagas in Brazil

Chagas disease is a devastating infectious disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi transmitted by triatomine bugs (the vectors). The disease can cause infection in humans and animals. It is prevalent throughout rural areas of Central and South America. This project aims to prevent disease, which will reduce poverty and health inequalities, and improve quality of life of humans and animals. The project will also assess the relative contribution of oral transmission in the current status-quo of Chagas disease in an endemic area of Brazil. The project will apply a transdisciplinary One Health approach to look at social systems and human vulnerability to infection, the animal reservoir and health, ecosystems, vector density, and food security issues (contaminated food products) through close collaboration with various partners and stakeholders.

People involved

dr. Natalie Vinkeles Melchers-Martinez
Health and Society, Wageningen University & Research

prof. dr. Spencer Moore
Health and Society, Wageningen University & Research

dr. Helen Esser
Group, Wageningen University & Research

Boris Schmid
Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research

prof. dr. Kirsten de Beurs
Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research