Research

Current research efforts to save Chagas disease from oblivion and equip the scientific community with solid, evidence-based knowledge are focused on three main areas: treatment, biomarkers and new diagnostic tools.

The drugs used to treat Chagas disease are the same as those used in the 1970s. Following a period of several decades marked by little progress, scientists are now faced with the challenge of developing drugs that will be better tolerated, more efficient, and easier to administer in children.

Another priority research area is the development of biomarkers for confirming early treatment effectiveness; such markers would be very useful for evaluating new drugs in the investigation phase.

Although diagnostic tools already exist for Chagas disease, new, easier-to-implement tests are needed for the field.