Two recent studies may offer some reasons why the incidence of Chagas disease jumps late in the year, coinciding with the harvesting of açaí berries. Consuming juice made from berries contaminated with the faeces of the triatomine bug is one of the main sources of infection, particularly in areas where the drink is popular: the Amazonas region and the state of Pará. Many Chagas disease infections are asymptomatic, meaning actual numbers could be much higher than reported to Brazil's Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN). Read more
FROM a local news report: northern and north-eastern regions of the country recorded the highest incidence of the sand fly-borne infection leishmaniasis last year; overall, numbers had increased by almost 40 percent from 2017, to 17,000 cases. Read more
Advice for travellers
Although widespread in Mexico, Central America, and South America, Chagas disease presents a low risk to Australians travelling to the Americas. Travellers who sleep indoors in air-conditioned or screened hotel rooms are at low risk for exposure to infected triatomine bugs (aka kissing or assassin bugs), which infest poor-quality dwellings and are active mainly at night. However, as has become more common, the disease can also be transmitted through food and freshly pressed juice contaminated with the faeces of insects attracted to ripening fruit. Read more on Chagas disease.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.