Chagas disease causes

	Chagas disease Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Chagas disease from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Criteria
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
Electrocardiogram
X-ray
Echocardiography and Ultrasound
CT scan
MRI
Other Imaging Findings
Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy
Future or Investigational Therapies
Case Studies
Case #1
Chagas disease causes On the Web
Most recent articles
cited articles
Review articles
CME Programs
Powerpoint slides
Images
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Chagas disease causes All Images X-rays Echo & Ultrasound CT Images MRI
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Chagas disease causes
CDC on Chagas disease causes
Chagas disease causes in the news
Blogs on Chagas disease causes
Directions to Hospitals Treating Chagas disease
Risk calculators and risk factors for Chagas disease causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yazan Daaboul, M.D.

Overview

Chagas disease is (American tryponosomiasis) is a human tropical parasitic disease usually caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellate protozoa.

Chagas disease (American tryponosomiasis) is a human tropical parasitic disease usually caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellate protozoa.

Chagas disease usually has a vector-borne transmission. Triatomine insects, the Riduvid (kissing/assassin) bugs, suck blood from an infected individual and are subsequently infected themselves.
The insects carry the pathogen in their feces and urine. Human infection with T. cruzi occurs following exposure to feces/urine of infected insects. The pathogen typically enters the host either through a wound induced by the host's scratching following the insect bite or through the conjunctival mucus membranes.
Triatomine insects may also be referred to as benchuca, vinchuca, kissing bug, chipo, chupança and barbeiro. Other insect species that may be vectors for T. cruzi are insects of the families Rhodnius, and Panstrongylus
Other modes of transmission include organ transplantation, blood transfusions, vertical transmission, breast milk, and oral transmission following ingestion of infected foods.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

The following figure illustrates the life cycle of T. cruzi, the causative pathogen of Chagas disease.

Triatoma infestans or the “Kissing Bug”, “Assassin Bug”, or “Cone-Nose Bug”, is a vector for Chagas' Disease. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[5]
Dorsal view of the “kissing bug”, Triatoma infestans, a vector for Chagas disease. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[5]
Dorsal view of the Eastern bloodsucking conenose, or the Mexican bed bug, Triatoma sanguisuga. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[5]

↑ Santos Ferreira C, Amato Neto V, Gakiya E, et al. "Microwave treatment of human milk to prevent transmission of Chagas disease." Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo. 2003 Jan-Feb;45(1):41-2. PMID 12751321
↑ WHO. Chagas. Accessed 24 September 2006.
↑ da Silva Valente S, de Costa Valente V, Neto H. "Considerations on the epidemiology and transmission of Chagas disease in the Brazilian Amazon." Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 94 Suppl 1: 395-8. PMID 10677763
↑ UK Health Protection Agency (HPA).Chagas’ disease (American trypanosomiasis) in southern Brazil. Accessed 24 September 2006.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 "Public Health Image Library (PHIL)".