Addressing the neglect: Chagas disease in London, UK

Abstract

Chagas disease is an emerging but still largely unrecognised infectious parasitic disease in European countries.1 It has important public health implications because, although the classic vector-borne route of transmission only occurs in endemic areas of Latin America, the less common transmission routes—blood transfusion, transplantation, and vertical transmission from mother to child—have been shown in Europe.2 Therefore, providing policy makers with accurate estimates of country-specific prevalence of Chagas disease should inform the design and implementation of the most cost-effective health interventions.