Chagas disease is well known for being transmitted by bite of a mosquito And although this has been the most common way of infection for years in Brazil, nowadays about 70% of the cases have the consumption of contaminated açaí as a background.

The data comes from a research conducted by cardiologist Odilson Silvestre, professor at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac), and was published in the scientific journal Clinical Infectious Diseases In it, the scientists have analyzed all reports of the orally acquired disease since 1965.

Chagas Disease

The condition is generated by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi It is considered endemic in Latin America. quality of life Thus, the açaí became the major cause of the disease, but other contaminated foods also pose a risk - such as sugarcane juice, bacaba and other juices.

In the acute phase, the micro-organism can lead to symptoms such as fever, skin lesions, malaise, and shortness of breath. If not diagnosed and treated in time, Chagas disease can turn into a chronic condition. Thus, it stays for a long time (about 10 years) without manifesting signs. After this period, there is a great risk of the appearance of heart failure .

Le i Also: Plant-based diet decreases risks of stroke and heart disease

How Acai is contaminated

The researchers think that the problem lies in the way food processing As the barber is attracted to the lights in the factories, it deposits its feces on the machines and food, or is macerated together with the fruit.

However, there are methods to avoid contamination of the açaí. The main one is the bleaching For this reason, the ideal is to buy the fruit and its derivatives only from reliable places, preferably with the health surveillance seal.

Reference: Case-fatality From Orally-transmitted Acute Chagas Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.