Thread by @WHO

It's the first-ever #WorldChagasDiseaseDay

#ChagasDisease is a potentially life-threatening illness, transmitted through contact with the faeces or urine of a triatomine bug found mainly in Latin America.

👉 bit.ly/2V5o6wU

About 6 to 7 million people are infected with #ChagasDisease, causing 10 000 deaths yearly. Most infections occur in Latin America but the disease is increasingly detected in other parts of the 🌐, with 75 million at risk of infection

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The symptoms of #ChagasDisease are most often non-existent or mild and unspecific. The first visible signs can include:
• skin lesion
• purplish swelling of an eyelid
• fever
• difficulty breathing
• abdominal or chest pain

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The spread of #ChagasDisease can be prevented by:
✅ vector control
✅ good hygiene
✅ food safety
✅ screening of blood donors & women of childbearing age

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Addressing #ChagasDisease early is🔑to treating it:
✅Contact your doctor if you live or have travelled to an area at risk of Chagas & experience symptoms
✅2 medicines are effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection

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#ChagasDisease is transmitted by:
🕳️ Contact with the faeces or urine of a triatomine bug (kissing bug)
🥘 Contaminated food
🩸 Blood transfusion / organ transplant
🤰 Mother to child

👉 bit.ly/2V5o6wU

If you suspect infection with #COVID19 & are undergoing treatment for #ChagasDisease, inform your health professional 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️ to ensure you receive the best possible care

👉 bit.ly/2V5o6wU