The discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas disease (1908-1909): tropical medicine in Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes the discovery of Chagas disease and the parasite that causes it (Trypanosoma cruzi) by Carlos Chagas in 1908/1909, with a special focus on the scientific and social context in which this occurred. Its inclusion in the international debate on European tropical medicine - especially with researchers from the German school of protozoology - and its connection with discussions on the modernization of the recently established Brazilian Republic are also examined. The discovery of Chagas disease became a decisive aspect in the scientific project that Oswaldo Cruz sought to establish at the institute that bears his name. It was extolled as a symbol of Brazil's scientific ability to produce knowledge in line with the international scientific agenda, while simultaneously being attuned to the specific problems of the country.

O banco de dados do Prêmio Nobel como indicador da internacionalização da ciência brasileira entre 1901 e 1966

“…Entre 1901 e 1953, quatro brasileiros foram indicados ao Prêmio Nobel na categoria de fisiologia ou medicina: Carlos Chagas, Antônio Cardoso Fontes, Adolfo Lutz e Manoel de Abreu (Tabela 1). É sintomático que, dos quatro, três tenham sido afiliados ao Instituto Oswaldo Cruz nas primeiras décadas do século XX, o que pode ser correlacionado à institucionalização da medicina tropical no período, bem como às estratégias bem-sucedidas de internacionalização perseguidas por Oswaldo Cruz desde a criação da instituição, em 1900 (Benchimol, 2001, p.61 e 73; Benchimol, Sá, 2005, p.190-208;Kropf, Sá, 2009;Silva, 2013). Carlos Chagas foi indicado ao Prêmio Nobel de Medicina ou Fisiologia em 1913 e 1921, recebendo uma indicação nos dois anos (Tabela 1), ambas por nomeadores brasileiros (Tabela 2), pela descrição da entidade nosológica batizada com seu nome.…”

The history of Chagas disease

“…Oswaldo Cruz’s mentoring and the institute he and the Brazilian government founded in 1900 to fight endemic diseases played an important role in the uncovering of Chagas disease [49]. The identification and characterisation of T. cruzi was the result of collaboration with the Czech zoologist and parasitologist Stanislaus von Prowazek (1875-1915) who was invited by Cruz to spend six months at the Federal Serotherapy Institute to conduct research (reviewed in [50]). The intracellular life cycle stage of T. cruzi , the amastigote form, was described by Chagas’ colleague, the Brazilian pathologist Gaspar de Oliveira Vianna (1885-1914), in both heart and skeletal muscle cells [51].…”

Dendritic Cells: A Double-Edged Sword in Immune Responses during Chagas Disease

“…More than a century has passed since Carlos Chagas discovered the pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi and the natural way of its transmission to humans and animals, and elucidated the corresponding human disease it causes ( Kropf and Sá, 2009 ). Chagas disease is also transmitted through blood transfusions or organ transplants, vertically from mother to child through the placenta, and through contaminated food ( Andrade et al, 2014 ).…”