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.

Virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi in Açai ( Euterpe oleraceae Martius) Pulp following Mild Heat Treatment.

Outbreaks of acute Chagas disease (ACD) in northern Brazil can be caused by the ingestion of unprocessed açai pulp contaminated with Trypanosoma cruzi . The aim of this study was to determine the minimum thermal process required to inactivate T. cruzi in açai pulp.

Survival in vitro and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi in açaí pulp in experimental acute Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection with high socioeconomic impact throughout Latin America. Although this severe, incurable disease can be transmitted by several routes, oral transmission is currently the most important route in the Amazon Basin. Açaí pulp has nutritional properties and is popular throughout Brazil and abroad.

Transmission of chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) by food.

In April 2009, the centenary of the discovery of the American trypanosomiasis, or Chagas disease, was celebrated. A hundred years after the discovery, little has been invested in diagnostics and treatment because the disease affects mainly poor people in developing countries. However, some changes in the epidemiology of the disease are of great importance today.

Chagas' disease as a foodborne illness.

Various researchers have studied the importance of the oral transmission of Chagas' disease since the mid-20th century. Only in recent years, due to an outbreak that occurred in the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina in 2005 and to various outbreaks occurring during the last 3 years in the Brazilian Amazon basin, mainly associated with the consumption of Amazonian palm berry or açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice, has this transmission route aroused the attention of researchers.