Webinar: The neglected problem of foodborne Chagas disease - the importance of foodborne transmission of ... - World Health Organization (WHO)

Background

Chagas disease (also known as American trypanosomiasis) is a neglected infectious disease caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi). Chagas disease, which is on the WHO list of neglected tropical diseases and can be fatal, occurs predominantly in the Americas; much of Central and South America is endemic for the disease. The life cycle of this parasite is complicated, and transmission to people can occur via a variety of routes. These include: vector-borne transmission (via an infected triatomine (reduviid bug) vector defecating into a skin abrasion, usually following a blood meal), transplacental transmission, blood transfusion from an infected donor, organ transplant from an infected donor, laboratory accident, and foodborne transmission. 

The latter of these routes (foodborne transmission) may occur due to ingestion of meat or blood from infected animals or from ingestion of other foods that has been contaminated by infected vectors or secretions from reservoir hosts (Robertson, 2024). Furthermore, this infection route has been associated with more severe symptoms than usually occur with vector-borne transmission. Despite large outbreaks of foodborne Chagas disease being documented, with associated deaths, the importance of the foodborne transmission route has yet to be properly acknowledged. It remains a neglected problem of a neglected tropical disease.

Anticipating a new release of WHO estimates on the burden of foodborne Chagas disease in 2025, this webinar aims to describe, and promote awareness on, foodborne Chagas disease. 

Language

English with Spanish interpretation

Moderator

Ms Charlee Roberts, Monitoring and Surveillance Nutrition and Food Safety, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS)

Speakers

  • Dr Hector Daniel Coto, Pan American Health Organization/WHO Regional Office for the Americas
  • Dr Norman Beatty, Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, University of Florida, USA
  • Dr Lucy Robertson, Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway

Agenda

15:30 – 15:35    Welcome and introduction

15:35 – 15:45    Keynote speech: Current situation of Chagas disease in the Region of the Americas. Considerations on oral transmission - Dr Hector Daniel Coto

15:45 – 15:55    Chagas disease - Introduction to Foodborne Transmission - Dr Norman Beatty

15:55 – 16:15    Foodborne Trypanosoma cruzi: what is the disease burden? – Dr Lucy Robertson

16:15 – 16:30    Questions and Answers 

Organizer

WHO secretariat for the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group, Monitoring and Surveillance Nutrition and Food Safety Unit, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS)

Reference

Robertson LJ, Havelaar AH, Keddy KH, Devleesschauwer B, Sripa B, Torgerson PR (2024). The importance of estimating the burden of disease from foodborne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 18(2): e0011898. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011898. 

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