hi and good morning,to everybody especially my latin americen friends,today i will try to give some relevant informations regarding CHAGAS DISEASE[AMERICAN TRYPANOSOMIASIS].The causative agent is Trypanosoma cruzi.The bug that tansfers the disease to humans is reduviid bug[Triatoma infestans].
Other modes of transmission are vertical transmission[from mother to baby],through blood transfusion.
The disease has two forms acute and chronic.The acute form is usually symptomatic in children and young adults,in other age groups it is usually asymptomatic.The symptoms in the acut state are CHAGOMA[peeling skin lesions],ROMANA'S SIGN[one sided eye swelling with conjunctivitis]This actually represent thr portal of entry of the protozoa.Other features are fever,rash,liver and spleen enlargement,swelling of limbs and face etc.Most of the cases of mortality in the acute state occur in below 2 years age group due toMYOCARDITIS,MENINGOENCEPHALITIS[INVOLVEMENT OF THE HEART AND BRAIN.
After the acute phase patient passes over to the CHRONIC LATENT PHASE,in this phase the patient is usually asymptomatic.A few of the patients of chronic latent phase pass on to the CHRONIC PHASE.
In the chronic phase the organs effected are 1.HEART
2.ESOPHAGUS
3.COLON
HEART IS THE WORST EFFECTED.CHAGASIC CARDIOMYOPATHY occurs in the heart.Most of the mortalities are due to dysfunction og the heart.
DYSFUNCTIONS OF THE HEART:1.heart failure
2.conduction disturbance
3.thromboembolic episodes to brain,lung
4.aneurysm og the heart which may rupture
5.coronary artery disease
INVOVEMENT OF ESOPHAGUS:1.abnormal motility
2.dilatation & elongation og esophagus
3.esophagitis
4.regurgitation causing aspiration pneumonia
5.risk factor for esophageal cancer
involvement of the esophagus causes difficulty in swallowing mainly for solid foods.
INVOVEMENT OF THE COLON:1.dilatation of the colon
2.sigmoid colon volvulus:a dreaded complication
involvement of the esophagus results in constipation lasting for weeks to months.sigmoid volvulus causes gut obstruction,pain.
According to my view,benznidazole is the only effective drug.In my opinion this drug should be administered in the acute phase and in patients suffering from the chronic disease for few years.
It reduces the severity and occurence of heart disease.
PREGNANCY AND CHAGAS DISEASE:
Till date there is no drug available to stop transmission from infected mother to the baby.So the baby should be screened by direct parasitological methods at birth and then at frequent intervals,if found negative initially and treated apprppiately.
PREVENTION:1.vector control by spraying of insecticides[pyrethroid]
2.improvement of sanitation
3.till date no vaccine is available
YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR RESPECTIVE PHYSICIAN ABOUT THESE INFORMATIONS
ON CHAGAS DISEASE.ANY QUERRIES FEEL FREE TO ASK.
