Wikipedia:Today's featured article/March 28, 2022

Chagas disease is a parasitic disease which occurs in the Americas, particularly in South America. It is caused by a protozoan named Trypanosoma cruzi (pictured), which is transmitted to humans and other mammals primarily by blood-drinking insects of the subfamily Triatominae. Other forms of transmission are possible, such as ingestion of food contaminated with T. cruzi, blood transfusion and maternal–fetal transmission. After an initial stage of infection that is usually mild or asymptomatic, untreated individuals enter the chronic phase of the disease. People with chronic Chagas disease may develop organ dysfunction, which most commonly involves the heart or the digestive system. Chagas disease can be treated using the antiparasitic drugs benznidazole and nifurtimox, which are most effective in the early stage of infection. It is estimated that 6.5 million people worldwide are living with the disease, and it is responsible for about 9,490 annual deaths.