What organ does Chagas disease target?

The heart is the most commonly affected organ in persons with chronic Chagas disease. Autopsy may reveal marked bilateral ventricular enlargement, often involving the right side more than the left, in the heart of patients who die of chagasic heart failure (see image below).

What organs are affected by Chagas?

In the heart, the disease can cause enlargement of the heart muscle, leading to heart failure. Other common problems are arrythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. In the gastro-intestinal system, there can be enlargement of the colon or the oesophagus, leading to digestive problems.

What organ is targeted during an infection with T cruzi?

Bone Marrow Is a Target Organ in Orally Induced Trypanosoma cruzi Acute Infection. During the acute phase of oral T.

Does Chagas affect the liver?

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, causes an intense inflammatory response in several tissues, including the liver. Since this organ is central to metabolism, its infection may be reflected in the outcome of the disease.

What does Chagas disease do to the heart?

Chagas cardiomyopathy represents the most frequent and serious complication of chronic Chagas disease, affecting about 20-30% of patients, potentially leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolism, stroke and sudden death.

KILLER DISEASES | How Chagas Disease Affects the Body

Does Chagas affect the brain?

The involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) during human acute and chronic Chagas disease (CD) has been largely reported. Meningoencephalitis is a frequent finding during the acute infection, while during chronic phase the CNS involvement is often accompanied by behavioral and cognitive impairments.

Is Chagas disease always fatal?

Many people may remain asymptomatic for life and never develop Chagas-related symptoms. However, an estimated 20–30% of infected people will develop severe and sometimes life-threatening medical problems over the course of their lives.

Can Chagas disease be detected by blood test?

The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites.

What is the major concern for chronic Chagas disease patients?

In later years the infection in those patients can cause the destruction of the heart muscle and nervous system, consequent cardiac arrhythmias or progressive heart failure and sudden death.

What parasites cause liver problems?

Liver flukes are parasites that can infect humans and cause liver and bile duct disease. There are two families of liver flukes that cause disease in humans: Opisthorchiidae (which includes species of Clonorchis and Opisthorchis) and Fasciolidae (which includes species of Fasciola).

What is the triad of Chagas disease?

The triad of cardiomegaly, megaesophagus, and mental disease are common symptoms.

What is the definitive host of Chagas disease?

The protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, causes Chagas disease, a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans by blood-sucking triatomine bugs.

What is the mortality rate of Chagas disease?

1 In the United States, more than 300,000 people are living with the disease. 300,000 living with Chagas in the U.S. Chagas disease causes approximately 10,000 deaths per year globally. Up to 30% of infected people develop symptoms.

What are the neurological symptoms of Chagas disease?

In the chronic phase, it presents as neuritis that results in altered tendon reflexes and sensory impairment, and is reported in up to 10% of the patients. Isolated cases of central nervous system involvement can also include dementia, confusion, chronic encephalopathy and sensitive and motor deficits.

Can you cure chronic Chagas?

Once Chagas disease reaches the chronic phase, medications won't cure the disease. But, the drugs may be offered to people younger than age 50 because they may help slow the progression of the disease and its most serious complications.

What is the prognosis of Chagas disease?

The symptoms may be mild at first and then disappear for years or even decades. In the chronic phase of the disease, the parasite gets inside your heart muscle or intestine. If you have Chagas disease, you have about a 30% chance of developing complications.

Does ivermectin treat Chagas disease?

In conclusion, although ivermectin treatment may have a transient effect on peridomestic populations of Triatominae, it is not the treatment of choice for this situation.

Is Chagas disease autoimmune?

In fact, the first evidence of autoimmunity in CD was presented by Cossio and collaborators in 1974 (61), who reported antibodies in sera of chagasic patients that reacted with endocardium, interstitium, and heart blood vessels but were absent in healthy individuals and in patients with non-chagasic cardiomyopathy.

When should you get tested for Chagas?

Indications for Testing

Laboratory testing for Chagas disease is indicated in individuals who are at risk when clinical findings point to acute- or chronic-phase infection.

How common is Chagas disease in USA?

More than 5 million people worldwide have Chagas disease. In the United States, there are estimated to be at least 300,000 cases of chronic Chagas disease among people originally from countries of Latin America where Chagas disease is endemic.

What percentage of kissing bugs carry Chagas?

Scientists have found that about 50% of kissing bugs are infected with the Chagas parasite. Kissing bugs are a 'vector' because they can carry a parasite that can make people and animal sick. The parasite is Trypanosoma cruzi, and it causes Chagas disease.

Why is Chagas a silent disease?

Chagas disease is prevalent among poor populations of continental Latin America but is increasingly being detected in other countries and continents. It is often termed as a “silent and silenced disease” as the infected majority have no symptoms or extremely mild symptom.

What does the kissing bug do to your body?

Because they tend to bite people's faces, triatomine bugs are also known as “kissing bugs”. After they bite and ingest blood, they defecate (poop) on the person. The person can become infected if T. cruzi parasites in the bug feces enter the body through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin.

Do all kissing bugs carry Chagas?

Kissing bugs can carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which can cause Chagas disease. It's important to know that not all kissing bugs are infected with the parasite, and the likelihood of contracting Chagas disease is low.

What is the most common treatment for Chagas disease?

The two drugs used to treat infection with T. cruzi are nifurtimox and benznidazole. Benznidazole is approved by FDA for use in children 2–12 years of age and is available from www.benznidazoletablets.com .