Chagas' disease is an infectious disease that affects millions of people in Latin America and
is increasingly seen outside endemic areas. A substantial number of patients develop
gastrointestinal disorders secondary to lesions of the enteric nervous system. The purpose
of this article is to review the current knowledge about gastrointestinal manifestations of
Chagas' disease, including disorders other than the well-known gross dilations of
esophagus and colon.

Gastrointestinal involvement in Chagas' disease is discussed under the following headings:
epidemiology; life cycle; acute clinical disease; chronic disease; gastrointestinal
involvement; oesophageal disease; colon; stomach; small intestine; gall bladder and liver;
chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy; pathogenesis of the neurological manifestations;
diagnosis; treatment.