The most recognized marker of acute Chagas disease is called Romaña's sign, which includes swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug feces were deposited or accidentally rubbed into the eye.
==Chagas disease==
==Clinical manifestations==
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[[Image:Chagoma.jpg|thumb|left|This child from Panama is suffering from Chagas' disease manifested as an acute infection with swelling of the right eye (Romaña's sign). Source: CDC.]]
The human [[disease]] occurs in two stages: the acute stage shortly after the [[infection]], and the chronic stage that may develop over 10 years.
In the acute phase, a local skin nodule called a ''chagoma'' can appear at the site of [[inoculation]]. When the inoculation site is the [[conjunctiva]]l mucous membranes, the patient may develop unilateral [[periorbital edema]], [[conjunctivitis]], and preauricular lymphadenitis. This constellation of symptoms is referred to as Romaña's sign. The acute phase is usually [[asymptomatic]], but may present symptoms of [[fever]], [[anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]], [[lymphadenopathy]], mild [[hepatosplenomegaly]], and [[myocarditis]]. The most recognized marker of acute Chagas disease is called Romaña's sign, which includes swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug feces were deposited or accidentally rubbed into the eye. Even if symptoms develop during the acute phase, they usually fade away on their own within a few weeks or months. Although the symptoms resolve, the infection, if untreated, persists. Rarely, young children (<5%) die from severe inflammation/infection of the heart muscle (myocarditis) or brain ([[meningoencephalitis]]).
Some acute cases (10 to 20%) resolve over a period of 2 to 3 months into an asymptomatic chronic stage (called “chronic indeterminate”) during which few or no parasites are found in the blood. During this time, most people are unaware of their infection. Many people may remain asymptomatic for life and never develop Chagas-related symptoms. However, an estimated 30% of infected people will develop debilitating and sometimes life-threatening medical problems over the course of their lives.
The symptomatic chronic stage may not occur for years or even decades after initial infection. The disease affects the [[nervous system]], [[digestive system]] and [[heart]]. Chronic infections result in various neurological disorders, including [[dementia]], damage to the heart muscle ([[cardiomyopathy]], the most serious manifestation), and sometimes dilation of the [[digestive tract]] ([[megacolon]] and [[megaesophagus]]), as well as [[weight loss]]. [[Swallowing]] difficulties may be the first symptom of digestive disturbances and may lead to [[malnutrition]]. After several years of an asymptomatic period, 27% of those infected develop cardiac damage, 6% develop digestive damage, and 3% present peripheral nervous involvement. Left untreated, Chagas' disease can be fatal, in most cases due to the [[cardiomyopathy]] component.
The most recognized marker of acute Chagas disease is called Romaña's sign, which includes swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug feces were deposited or accidentally rubbed into the eye.
[[Image:Chagoma.jpg|thumb|left|This child from Panama is suffering from Chagas' disease manifested as an acute infection with swelling of the right eye (Romaña's sign). Source: CDC.]]
==References==
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In people who have suppressed immune systems (for example, due to AIDS or chemotherapy), Chagas disease can reactivate with parasites found in the circulating blood. This occurrence can potentially cause severe disease.
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The most recognized marker of acute Chagas disease is called Romaña's sign, which includes swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug feces were deposited or accidentally rubbed into the eye.
This child from Panama is suffering from Chagas' disease manifested as an acute infection with swelling of the right eye (Romaña's sign). Source: CDC.
