Parasitic infections have been notoriously difficult to treat and as such have become a public health threat in many parts of the world. One such infection, called Chagas disease, was originally confined to parts of Latin and South Americas; however, worldwide travel has spread the disease, which is now endemic to approximately 20 countries and beginning to encroach onto the borders of the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10 million to 13 million people are chronically infected, around 90 million people are exposed to the risk of the infection, and nearly 21,000 people die each year as a result, making effective treatment a necessity.
