Announcements

World Chagas Disease Day 2025 brings global attention to one of the most neglected tropical diseases, reinforcing our collective responsibility to “leave no one behind” in the pursuit of health equity.

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects over 7 million people worldwide—primarily among poor and underserved communities in Latin America, but with increasing prevalence in non-endemic regions due to migration and globalization. Often progressing without symptoms in its early stages, Chagas is known as a “silent and silenced disease”, leading to potentially fatal cardiac and digestive complications if left untreated. Despite its growing global impact, awareness and access to diagnosis and treatment remain limited.

To change the trajectory of Chagas disease, we must foster multidisciplinary collaboration across research, clinical practice, and public policy. From early detection and vector control to treatment access and patient-centered care, every stakeholder has a role to play. Health systems must adapt to address not only the biological and clinical dimensions of the disease but also the social and economic determinants that perpetuate its neglect.

In recognition of World Chagas Disease Day 2025, we invite you to explore a curated collection of articles and Special Issues from selected MDPI journals, including Insects, Pathogens, Microorganisms, Parasitologia, Diseases, Healthcare, and TropicalMed. These resources offer vital perspectives on the epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Chagas disease, while also encouraging cross-sector collaboration. Through scientific engagement and public awareness, we can work together toward the goal: early detection, equitable care, and the eventual elimination of Chagas disease.

 “Development and Characterization of Innovative Nifurtimox Formulations as Therapeutic Alternative for Chagas Disease”
by Ana Lia Mazzeti, Karolina Ribeiro Gonçalves, Patrícia Ferreira Boasquivis, Maria Terezinha Bahia and Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2025, 10(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed10020050

“Molecular Characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi from Triatomine Species in São Paulo State, an Area Free of Vector-Borne Chagas Disease”
by Eliana Ferreira Monteiro, Rubens Antonio da Silva, Arlei Marcili and Karin Kirchgatter
Insects 2025, 16(2), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16020161

“The Impact of Environmental and Housing Factors on the Distribution of Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) in an Endemic Area of Chagas Disease in Puebla, Mexico”
by Miguel Ortega-Caballero, Maria Cristina Gonzalez-Vazquez, Miguel Angel Hernández-Espinosa, Alejandro Carabarin-Lima and Alia Mendez-Albores
Diseases 2024, 12(10), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12100238

“Zoonotic Cycle of American Trypanosomiasis in an Endemic Region of the Argentine Chaco, Factors That Influenced a Paradigm Shift”
by Andrea Gómez-Bravo, Sebastián Cirignoli, Diana Wehrendt, Alejandro Schijman, Cielo M. León, María Flores-Chaves, Javier Nieto, Troy J. Kieran, Marcelo Abril and Felipe Guhl
Insects 2024, 15(7), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15070471

“Mapping the Silent Threat: A Comprehensive Analysis of Chagas Disease Occurrence in Riverside Communities in the Western Amazon”
by Daniela da Silva Paixão, Fernanda Portela Madeira, Adila Costa de Jesus, Hêmilly Caroline da Silva Paixão, Juliana de Souza Almeida Aranha Camargo, Mariane Albuquerque Lima Ribeiro, Leandro José Ramos, Jader de Oliveira, João Aristeu da Rosa, Paulo Sérgio Bernarde et al.
Pathogens 2024, 13(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13020176

“Chagas Disease in Europe”
by Marta Gonzalez-Sanz, Clara Crespillo-Andújar, Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro, Begoña Monge-Maillo, Jose A. Perez-Molina and Francesca F. Norman
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8(12), 513; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8120513

“Impact of Laboratory-Adapted Intracellular Trypanosoma cruzi Strains on the Activity Profiles of Compounds with Anti-T. cruzi Activity”
by Melissa L. Sykes, Emily K. Kennedy and Vicky M. Avery
Microorganisms 2023, 11(2), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11020476

“A Review on the Immunological Response against Trypanosoma cruzi”
by Martje Van Neste, Annick Bogaerts, Nina Nauwelaerts, Julia Macente, Anne Smits, Pieter Annaert and Karel Allegaert
Pathogens 2023, 12(2), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020282