Chagas disease originated in South America, Central America and Mexico. It is estimated to affect some 8 million people and cause 20,000 deaths every year.

The disease is transmitted through the insect vector in the following countries:

• Argentina
• Belize
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• French Guiana
• Guiana
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Surinam
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

However, people emigrating from these areas have taken the disease to other parts of the world where it was previously unknown. Today there are people with Chagas disease in the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia.