World Chagas Disease Day
April 14 · Level 6 · #1064 of 2238
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and spread by triatomine bugs, often called kissing bugs. The day draws attention to people who live with it for years without a diagnosis, and to the value of early testing and treatment.
How it is celebrated: doctors and community groups run screening drives, explain symptoms and prevention in clinics and schools, and patients share their stories. Activity is especially lively in Latin America.
The date goes back to 14 April 1909, when the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas diagnosed the disease for the first time in a human, a young girl named Berenice.