Prevention of Chagas disease

Currently, there is no vaccine available for humans to prevent Chagas disease. However, there are other ways available to humans to reduce or even prevent the disease.

Most experts in Chagas disease agree that a majority of infections can be prevented by improving poor or primitive housing. Judicious use of insecticides and education of people about home cleanliness for populations at risk for Chagas disease can augment good-housing design. The principle goal is to prevent the vector (bugs) from establishing a domiciliary cycle in the home by making a home difficult for the bugs to invade or live in. For example, plaster-sealed walls in a home with a metal or shingle roof are far less likely to be populated by bug vectors than a mud-walled structure covered with a thatch roof and a well-cleaned home is far less likely to have areas for bugs to hide and replicate than an unclean home. Several studies suggest this is an effective way to prevent Chagas disease.

Since blood transfusions can account for a large number of person-to-person transfers of T. cruzi, many blood banks around the world are now testing donated blood for antibodies to the parasite. If a blood sample is positive, the blood is discarded and the donor usually is notified and requested to not donate blood in the future. Similar situations occur with organ donors. Such methods help prevent Chagas disease.