The history of tropical medicine in Brazil: the discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi by Carlos Chagas and the German School of Protozoology.
The discovery of trypanosomes in a Brazilian monkey by the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas in 1908, led to the finding of a new microorganism pathogenic to man, Trypanosoma cruzi, and a new human trypanosomiasis. The present work discusses the context in which the discovery happened, and stresses the influence of German protozoologists in the work of the Brazilian scientist.
Sá
M Romero
MR
Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. magali@fiocruz.br
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000266:history; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history* / Q000469:parasitology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control; D010274:Parasitology / Q000266:history*; D014330:Tropical Medicine / Q000266:history; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000266:history / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary