Virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi from vector and reservoir in in natura açaí pulp resulting in food-borne acute Chagas disease at Pará State, Brazil.

Background: In recent decades some outbreaks of food-borne acute Chagas disease (ACD) in humans were identified by clinical and epidemiological characterization after association through the ingestion of açaí pulp probably contaminated with Trypanosoma cruzi. Whereas Belém and Abaetetuba stood out as important risk regions for disease transmission, the importance of Rhodnius pictipes, and Philander opossum for the biological cycle of T. cruzi, and data from agribusiness market of açaí, to study T.

Investigation of two outbreaks of suspected oral transmission of acute Chagas disease in the Amazon region, Para State, Brazil, in 2007.

Acute Chagas disease (ACD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. ACD outbreaks due to probable oral transmission occur regularly in small family gatherings that are exposed to contaminated foods. We studied two cohorts of residents on islands in the Breves and Bagre municipalities, in July and August 2007, to identify risk factors of transmission and to recommend preventative measures.