Deadly Insects Attack Victims At Night, Killing Them Quietly And Needs To Be taken Seriously Now

As a young child Emiliana Rodríguez recalls watching friends play a nighttime game of soccer, where one of the players suddenly dropped dead on the field. Not knowing what had happened, the Bolivian-born Rodríguez grew fearful of the night, afraid of the silent killer called Chagas, the “monster” she was told only comes out at night.

Chagas disease treatment: Colin Forsyth, a research manager at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), explained that Chagas is neglected partly because "it's a silent disease that stays hidden for so long in your body … because of the asymptomatic nature of the initial part of the infection." Referencing the poor populations, Forsyth continued, "The people affected just don't have the power to influence healthcare policy. There's this confluence of biological and social issues that keep it hidden." But as Chagas travels to other continents, its visibility is increasing and it's now known that it can be transmitted through blood transfusions and organ transplants, and from mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth. Professor David Moore, a consultant at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London, created the Chagas Hub, a UK-based facility with the primary goal of having "more people tested and treated, and to manage the risk of transmission, which in the UK is from mother to child," he said. Moore said that progress in eliminating Chagas is "glacial," and addressing the target set by WHO for a 2030 disease elimination, he said, "I can't imagine that we'll be remotely close by 2030. That seems highly unlikely." Chagas can be treated with two medicines, benznidazole and nifurtimox, both on the market 50 plus years, that Moore says is "toxic, unpleasant, not particularly effective." It can cure a baby but there's no guarantee the medications can prevent or curb disease progression in adults. As for severe side effects, Rodríguez remembers coming out in hives, feeling dizzy and nauseated. She completed treatment and goes for check-ups every year. Moore adds that more effective medication for Chagas is critical in curbing its spread but right now, there's no financial appeal to pharmaceutical companies. Until there's a higher market appeal to develop more treatments, Hernández is on a mission to make the silent disease louder, in her title as president of the International Federation of Associations of People Affected by Chagas Disease (FINDECHAGAS).