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Chagas disease

(Science: infectious disease) a parasitic disease caused by the American strain, trypanosoma cruzi.

chagas disease is usually transmitted by the bite of the kissing bug, but may also follow breast feeding (to infants) and blood transfusion. Although much more common in south America, it does, on rare occasions, occur in the U.S.A.

a nodular swelling (chagoma) appears at the site of inoculation following a bite. The acute phase of the disease can last 2 to 3 months and patients present with fever, headache, anorexia, conjunctivitis and myocarditis.

infants can develop meningitis and heart involvement. Trypanosomiasis can cause congestive heart failure and ventricular aneurysms. Treatment is with nifurtimox. Chagas disease --> south American trypanosomiasis

Trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma (or Schizotrypanum) cruzi and transmitted by certain species of reduviid (triatomine) bugs. In its acute form, it is seen most frequently in young children, with swelling of the skin at the site of entry, most often the face, and regional lymph node enlargement; in its chronic form it can assume several aspects, commonly cardiomyopathy, but megacolon and megaesophagus also occur; natural reservoirs include dogs, armadillos, rodents, and other domestic, domiciliated, and wild mammals.

Synonym: chagas disease, Chagas-Cruz disease, cruz trypanosomiasis.