High burden of hospital morbidity and mortality due to Chagas disease in Bahia state, Northeast Brazil, 2000-2022.

Summary: Chagas disease is a long-lasting illness caused by a parasite, and it is a major health problem in Bahia, Brazil. Researchers looked at hospital records and death certificates from the years 2000 to 2022. They found over 4,500 hospital stays and almost 17,000 deaths caused by the disease. The risk of dying was highest for men, older adults (over 70 years old), and people living in poorer neighborhoods. A major issue is that people are not getting diagnosed or treated early enough because they lack access to good healthcare. This delay leads to worse health problems, like severe damage to the intestines, and ultimately causes more deaths.