Chagas Disease

Chagas Disease Latest News

Considering the enormous human and economic toll Chagas disease inflicts, investment in R&D of medical innovations such as diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines remains disproportionately low.

About Chagas Disease

• Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is an inflammatory, infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. 
• The most common way people are infected with Chagas is through the blood-sucking triatomine bugs.
  • This parasite is found in the feces of the triatomine bug.
  • These bugs also are called reduviid. They may also be known as “kissing bugs” because they tend to bite people’s faces.
• The parasite can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth, through contaminated food and beverages, blood transfusions, organ transplants, or laboratory accidents.
• Chagas disease is common in South America, Central America, and Mexico, the primary home of the triatomine bug.
• Few people have symptoms at first. But over time, parasites can move to your tissues and cause chronic infections, leading to heart and digestive tract damage.
• Left untreated, Chagas disease later can cause serious heart and digestive problems.
• Treatment:
  • During the first phase of infection, treatment of Chagas disease aims to kill the parasite.
  • Later, it’s no longer possible to kill the parasite. Treatment in this later phase is about managing symptoms.

Source: NAT

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