A reasonably effective [[vaccine]] was developed in Ribeirão Preto in the 1970s, using cellular and subcellular fractions of the parasite, but it was found economically unfeasible. More recently, the potential of DNA vaccines for [[immunotherapy]] of acute and chronic Chagas' disease is being tested by several research groups.
*There is currently no vaccine for Chagas disease. Although a [[vaccine]] was developed in the 1970s, using cellular and subcellular fractions of the parasite, development was not feasible and the vaccine was subsequently discontinued.
*The following methods are effective in the primary prevention of Chagas disease.
Prevention is centered on fighting the vector (''Triatoma'') by using sprays and paints containing [[insecticide]]s (synthetic [[pyrethrum|pyrethroids]]), and improving housing and sanitary conditions in the rural area. For urban dwellers, spending vacations and camping out in the wilderness or sleeping at hostels or mud houses in endemic areas can be dangerous, a [[mosquito net]] is recommended. If the traveller intends to travel to the area of prevalence, he/she should get information on endemic rural areas for Chagas' disease in traveller advisories, such as the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|CDC]].
===Insecticides===
*Sprays and paints that contain [[insecticide]]s (synthetic [[pyrethrum|pyrethroids]])
In most countries where Chagas' disease is endemic, [[blood tests|testing]] of [[blood donation|blood donors]] is already mandatory, since this can be an important route of transmission. The United States FDA has recently licensed a test for antibodies against T. cruzi for use on blood donors but has not yet mandated its use. The AABB recommends that past recipients of blood components from donors found to be infected be notified and themselves tested.
===Novel Construction Compounds===
In the past, donated blood was mixed with 0,25 g/L of [[gentian violet]] successfully to kill the parasites. Early detection and treatment of new cases, including mother-to-baby cases, will also help reduce the burden of disease.
===Donor Testing===
*In countries where Chagas disease is endemic, [[blood tests|testing]] of [[blood donation|blood donors]] and [[organ donation|organ donors]] is mandatory.
With all these measures, some landmarks were achieved in the fight against Chagas' disease in Latin America: a reduction by 72% of the incidence of human infection in children and young adults in the countries of the Initiative of the Southern Cone, and at least two countries (Uruguay, in 1997, and Chile, in 1999), were certified free of vectorial and transfusional transmission. In Brazil, with the largest population at risk, 10 out of the 12 endemic states were also certified free.
Some stepstones of vector control:
*A yeast trap has been tested for monitoring infestations of certain species of the bugs:"Performance of yeast-baited traps with ''Triatoma sordida'', ''Triatoma brasiliensis'', ''Triatoma pseudomaculata'', and ''Panstrongylus megistus'' in laboratory assays."<ref>Pires HH, Lazzari CR, Diotaiuti L, Lorenzo MG. "Performance of yeast-baited traps with Triatoma sordida, Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata, and Panstrongylus megistus in laboratory assays." Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2000 Jun;7(6):384-8. PMID 10949899</ref>
*Promising results were gained with the treatment of vector habitats with the fungus ''[[Beauveria bassiana]]'', (which is also in discussion for [[malaria]]- prevention):"Activity of oil-formulated ''Beauveria bassiana'' against ''Triatoma sordida'' in peridomestic areas in Central Brazil."<ref>Luz C, Rocha LF, Nery GV, Magalhaes BP, Tigano MS. "Activity of oil-formulated Beauveria bassiana against Triatoma sordida in peridomestic areas in Central Brazil." Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2004 Mar;99(2):211-8. PMID 15250478 [http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762004000200017&tlng=es&lng=en&nrm=iso Online.]</ref>
*Targeting the [[symbiont]]s of [[Triatominae]] through [[paratransgenesis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Search&db=PubMed&term=Triatominae%20symbiosis|title=PubMed Search on Triatominae symbiosis}}</ref>
There is currently no vaccine for Chagas disease. Although a vaccine was developed in the 1970s, using cellular and subcellular fractions of the parasite, development was not feasible and the vaccine was subsequently discontinued.
The following methods are effective in the primary prevention of Chagas disease.
