Justice where justice is due: A posthumous Nobel Prize to Carlos Chagas (1879–1934), the discoverer of American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease)

Abstract Working in the Brazilian backland, Chagas described a new disease. He discovered the etiologic agent, the vector, the reservoir, the acute stage, the several clinical aspects of the chronic stage (particularly the heart disease), role of autoimmunity in its pathogenesis, and anticipated the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of cardiology 2009-05, Vol.134 (1), p.9-16
Main Authors: Bestetti, Reinaldo B, Martins, Cláudia A, Cardinalli-Neto, Augusto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
American Trypanosomiasis
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Brazil
Cardiology. Vascular system
Cardiovascular
Chagas
Chagas Disease - history
Chagas' disease
Emergency and intensive care: neonates and children. Prematurity. Sudden death
Heart
Heart failure
Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Intensive care medicine
Medical sciences
Nobel Prize
Parasitic diseases
Parasitology - history
Protozoal diseases
Sudden death
Trypanosomiasis
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Working in the Brazilian backland, Chagas described a new disease. He discovered the etiologic agent, the vector, the reservoir, the acute stage, the several clinical aspects of the chronic stage (particularly the heart disease), role of autoimmunity in its pathogenesis, and anticipated the social impact of the disease. Chagas was nominated to Nobel Prize twice: in 1913, and in 1921. In 1913, Richet won the prize because his work on anaphylaxis. In 1921, no one received the Nobel Prize. It is believed that detraction of Chagas' work at the National Academy of Medicine, made by jealousy, mediocrity, and political rivalries can be maculated the image of the scientist. Furthermore, misperception of Chagas' work may also have led the Nobel Committee not to award him. One-hundred years after the discovery, we can appreciate the greatness of the discovery of Carlos Chagas, never seem in the realm of biological research. Time to make justice, therefore, has finally come.
ISSN:0167-5273
1874-1754
DOI:10.1016/j.ijcard.2008.12.197