**2. Background**

Chagas disease was discovered in 1909 by Dr. Carlos Chagas, he studied blood-sucking insects with a nocturnal habit called "barbeiros" (**Figure 1**). Chagas sent samples of

**Figure 1.** *Hematophagous barbeiro insect causing transmission of Chagas disease.*

### *Digestive Disorders in Chagas Disease: Megaesophagus and Chagasic Megacolon DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102871*

Barbeiros that Dr. Cruz inoculated into monkeys. After 30 days, Chagas examined the monkeys' blood and found parasites, which he named *Trypanosoma cruzi*. Together with their colleagues, from 1909 to 1917, they defined the clinical aspects of the disease. The first case described in humans was Berenice, a 2-year-old girl who presented 39.4°C, eyelid edema, adenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and the presence of *T. cruzi* in peripheral blood, with subsequent remission of signs and symptoms [5].

In a study by Aufderheide et al. with the review of mummies exhumed from archeological sites in both Peru and Chile, a carbon dating of their tissues was revealed to approximately 7000 BC. and confirmed by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of DNA of the *T. cruzi* kinetoplast. Another historical fact dates back to 1835, when Charles Darwin was in Argentina, in the province of Luján de Cuyo in the southern district of Mendoza, he was inoculated by a triatomine insect. He studied these insects for at least 4 months. From 1835 to 1841, Darwin reported no symptoms, which could be due to the latent phase of Chagas disease. From 1841 to 1861, Darwin reported palpitations, a feeling of extreme fatigue, tremors, flatulence, and vomiting to his colleagues and doctors, however, none could identify the cause. At the age of 33, he left his job due to physical fatigue and digestive disorders, which can be explained by Chagas disease, Darwin experienced anginal attacks and was eventually diagnosed with heart failure. Darwin's disease has caused extensive speculation in the scientific community. Two things are clear—1) he was exposed to the triatomine insect and 2) his symptoms can be explained by Chagas disease [6].
