Rodríguez discovered she was a carrier of Chagas while pregnant, but her daughter tested negative. Elvira Hernández learned of Chagas when her son tested positive, saying, “I was scared when I read about it being a silent killer. ”Chagas, spread by kissing bugs, infects 8 million in Latin America, causing 12,000 deaths annually. In the U.S., 300,000 are infected, but it’s less common.
Hernández struggled to find help due to doctors’ lack of knowledge and criticized Mexico’s healthcare system. Chagas spreads through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and from mother to child.
Professor Moore is working on better treatment, but progress is slow. Chagas is treated with toxic drugs like benznidazole, which aren’t effective for ad*lts
