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American
trypanosomiasis
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- This disease is caused by the
parasite Trypanosma cruzi, commonly found in South America.
It is transmitted by bites from the reduviid bug, which
bites an infected human or animal, then bites a non-infected
individual, passing the parasites from the its feces into
the wound, causing Chagas' disease.
- Chagas' disease has two phases: an
acute phase that causes an immediate infection, and a late
phase that occurs 10 to 30 years later, often resulting in
severe heart damage, damage to the esophagus, or damage to
the colon.
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- Initial (acute) phase -- lasts 2-4 months
- Often no symptoms at all
- Boil lesion in skin
- Eye swelling if bug bite to eye
- Fever
- Swollen lymph glands
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Coma
- Chronic (late) phase -- occurs 10 to 30 years
later
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Leg swelling (edema)
- Difficulty swallowing
- Food regurgitation
- Severe Constipation
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- Examination -- initial phase:
- Romana's sign (swollen, Red Eye)
- Chagoma (boil at site of bite)
- Enlarged lymph glands
- Enlarged liver
- Enlarged spleen
- Shortness of breath
- Leg swelling (edema)
- Stiff/rigid neck
- Laboratory findings -- initial phase:
- Blood examined under microscope with special
techniques
- Serologic IgM and IgG blood tests
- Examination -- chronic (late) phase
- Lung crackles
- Leg swelling
- Irregular heart beat
- Distended abdomen
- Laboratory findings -- chronic phase
- Culture
- Xenodiagnosis (special technique)
- Serologic IgG blood
tests
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- Often does not work.
- Medications that may be tried:
Nifurtimox or Benznidazole
- Diuretics, if heart failure occurs,
and Amiodarone for heart
arrhythmias
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- The initial (acute) disease is usually seen in children and causes death in 10% of the reported cases. In severe forms, the acute disease can cause Meningitis or heart
failure.
- The late (chronic) form causes
heart arrhythmias, heart failure, and enlarged esophagus and
colon. It is a very severe disease. Heart arrhythmias can
cause sudden death.
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