Chagas disease in Spain

The notable increase in immigration from Latin-American countries to Spain during the last five years, particularly people from Bolivia, has converted Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis, into a public health problem in Spain. The number of people from countries in which Chagas disease is endemic now living in Spain is estimated to be near two and half million. In the absence of vector species responsible for transmission, the disease may be transmitted by blood transfusion and tissue transplants as well as by vertical transmission. This work reviews the current knowledge and epidemiological situation of this parasitosis in Spain.