Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 83 (4): 531-541, 2010
REVIEW ARTICLE
Chagas disease in prehistoric populations of northern Chile
Chagas diseases is produced by a parasite named Trypanosoma cruzi, that
affects humans and other marsupial and placental mammals. Transmission routes are diverse, but the most important transmission is
the vector route, which involves the triatomine insects, wild and domestic infected animals, and humans. Here we review the data
about oral transmission route and the evidences of the etiological agent (Trypanosoma cruzi) of Chagas disease in pre-
Columbian American mummies, making a critical review of the infection in northern Chile. Moreover, we comment on the hypotheses
suggested in relation to the most important vector of the infection in South America Triatoma infestans, its antiquity in the
Arica coast, and the recent reports about other wild infected vectors in this geographic area. The data presented along this document
suggests that Chagas disease was present long before the european conquest and the construction of adobe houses in America. We
also discuss the data about the involvement of wild Chilean mammals in the cycle of T. cruzi and propose that the
paleoparasitologic study of zooarchaeological remains must be done in the future in order to identify ancient mammalian reservoirs of
T. cruzi .
Key words:
Chagas disease,
northern Chile, triatomines, Trypanosoma cruzi, zooarchaeology
