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

• Autor(a) principal: Kropf,Simone Petraglia
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: Sá,Magali Romero
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: História. Ciências. Saúde-Manguinhos
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-59702009000500002
• topic: Chagas disease; Trypanosoma cruzi; tropical medicine; Brazil; Germany

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.