Scientific Research on Chagas Disease, Indigenous Practices, and Health Policies in Northern Argentina, 1920–45

This paper examines the scientific work conducted on Chagas disease (tripanosomisasis americana) and the public policies
implemented for its control in Argentina between circa 1920 and 1945. Much of this work was led by Salvador Mazza (18861946),
a physician who demonstrated the significance of Chagas infection in this country. Mazza’s research on this illness was
part of the agenda of the Misión de Estudios de Patología Regional Argentina (MEPRA), founded in 1926. With its headquarters
in Jujuy, MEPRA’s work focused on Argentina’s northern provinces and its indigenous population. Investigation and action against
Chagas forced Mazza and his collaborators to travel to remote rural areas and interact with populations largely forgotten by the
national government. In addition, the precarious ranchos with adobe walls and thatched roofs are perfect breeding places for the
vector that transmits Chagas (called ‘vinchucha’ in Argentina and kissing bug in the U.S.) Pets and small animals around the
houses can also acquire the disease, favoring its transmission to humans. Attempts to eradicate Chagas led public health officers
and researchers to reconsider the indigenous populations customs and practices as well as the links between these ethnic groups
and an expanding national state.