Investigating the ‘barbeiro’, or ‘barber bug’, Carlos Justiniano Ribeiro Chagas identified a new type of trypanosoma, which he named cruzi in honour to his mentor Oswaldo Cruz. He described the morphology and developing phases of the parasite, and depicted a clinical, aetiological and epidemiological description of the disease.  

Today, the disease caused by trypanosoma cruzi is known as American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease.

Despite current worldwide recognition of Carlos Chagas for his contribution to the field of tropical medicine, he did receive criticism during his lifetime.