Chagas disease

Small bugs can make people sick.

These bugs are called kissing bugs. They bite people at night.

When they bite, they leave a tiny germ behind. This germ can make you feel bad. You might have a fever or a headache. The germ can also hurt your heart later on.

It can even hurt your tummy. Using bed nets can help keep you safe. Stay away from the bugs to stay well.

Chagas disease is a sickness caused by a tiny germ. This germ is called Trypanosoma cruzi.

Most people get sick from kissing bugs. These bugs bite people at night.

When the bug bites, it also leaves behind its waste. If a person scratches the bite, the germ enters the body.

The sickness happens in two main stages. The first stage is called the acute stage. It starts right after the bite. You might have a fever or a headache. Sometimes, one eye might swell up. This is called Romaña's sign.

The second stage is the chronic stage. This happens many years later. Many people do not feel sick during this time. But the germ can still cause damage. It can hurt the heart or the digestive system. Some people's hearts get too big to pump blood well.

Doctors can treat the early stage with medicine. These medicines are called benznidazole or nifurtimox.

It is best to take them soon after infection. To stay safe, people use bed nets.

This helps keep the bugs away.

Chagas disease is a serious sickness caused by a tiny germ. This germ is called Trypanosoma cruzi.

It is a tropical disease that affects many living things. Scientists call it a neglected tropical disease because it often affects poor people. About 6.5 million people have this disease as of 2019. Most of these people live in Mexico, Central America, or South America.

The disease can also spread to the United States and Europe when people move. It can even affect more than 150 different types of animals.

Most people get the germ from kissing bugs. These are insects in a group called Triatominae.

The bug bites a person at night to drink blood. While it eats, the bug leaves behind its waste. If a person scratches the bite, the germ enters the body. The germ then travels through the blood to reach different cells. Inside the cells, the germ makes many copies of itself. Eventually, the cells burst and release more germs into the blood.

A Brazilian doctor named Carlos Chagas first described the disease in 1909.

The disease is named after him to honor his discovery. Doctors look for the germ in two different ways. In the early stage, they use a microscope to find it in the blood. They can also look for its DNA using a special test. For the long-term stage, they look for antibodies in the blood. These are signs that the body has fought the germ before.

The sickness happens in two main parts. The first part is the acute stage. It happens one to two weeks after a bite. You might have a fever, a headache, or a swollen eye. This eye swelling is called Romaña's sign.

The second part is the chronic stage. This happens many years later. Up to 45% of people develop heart disease during this time. Their hearts may become too large to pump blood well.

Up to 21% of people may also have trouble with their digestive system.

We can do many things to stay safe from the bugs. Using bed-nets can keep the insects away while people sleep.

People also use insecticides to get rid of the bugs. Doctors can use medicines like benznidazole or nifurtimox to treat early infections.

These medicines work best if taken right after the person is infected. It is also important to check blood used for transfusions. This helps make sure the germ does not spread to new people through blood or organs.

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a serious parasitic infection. It is caused by a tiny organism called Trypanosoma cruzi.

This disease is classified as a neglected tropical disease. This means it primarily affects people living in poverty. As of 2019, it is estimated that 6.5 million people live with the infection. Most cases occur in Mexico, Central America, and South America.

However, large-scale migrations have carried the disease to the United States and Europe. It is not just a human problem, as it affects over 150 types of animals.

The infection cycle begins with insects called triatomine bugs.

These insects are often called "kissing bugs" because they prefer to feed on moist surfaces near the eyes or mouth. When a bug bites a person to take a blood meal, it also defecates. The Trypanosoma cruzi parasites are found in the bug's feces. If a person scratches the bite, the parasites enter the body through the wound. Once inside, the parasites enter the bloodstream as motile forms called trypomastigotes. They then invade host cells and transform into a different form called an amastigote. Inside the cell, the amastigotes replicate many times. Eventually, they turn back into trypomastigotes and burst the cell to spread throughout the body.

Chagas disease progresses through two distinct stages. The first is the acute stage, which appears one to two weeks after infection. This stage is often symptom-free, but when symptoms do appear, they are usually mild. They can include fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. A specific sign called Romaña's sign involves swelling of the eyelid.

In rare cases, the acute stage can be life-threatening by causing brain inflammation. After four to eight weeks, the acute phase typically resolves. However, the person remains infected and enters the chronic stage.

The chronic stage can last for many years and is often silent. Many people have what is called indeterminate chronic Chagas disease, where they show no symptoms. However, over decades, the parasite can cause serious organ damage. This is known as determinate chronic Chagas disease. About 14% to 45% of people with chronic infections develop heart disease.

The heart may experience arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats. In many cases, the heart ventricles become enlarged, a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. This enlargement makes it much harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.

Digestive complications are another major part of the chronic stage. Up to 21% of people experience damage to their digestive system. The most common issues are an enlarged esophagus or an enlarged colon. People with an enlarged esophagus may suffer from pain while swallowing or acid reflux. Those with an enlarged colon might face severe constipation or intestinal blockages. Additionally, up to 10% of people may experience nerve damage. This can lead to numbness or changes in how they move.

In 1909, a Brazilian physician named Carlos Chagas first described this disease.

The disease is named in his honor. Doctors diagnose early infections by finding the parasite in the blood using a microscope. They can also use a technique called polymerase chain reaction to detect the parasite's DNA. For chronic cases, doctors look for antibodies in the blood. These are proteins the immune system makes to fight the infection. While we have medicines like benznidazole and nifurtimox, they work best shortly after infection.

These drugs can have side effects like skin disorders or digestive irritation.

Prevention is the most effective way to manage the spread of Chagas. One method is to eliminate kissing bugs using insecticides. People can also use bed-nets to avoid bites while sleeping.

It is also vital to screen blood used for transfusions and organs. This is because the disease can spread through blood, organ transplants, or from a mother to her baby. While scientists have studied vaccines in animals, a human vaccine has not yet been developed. Researchers continue to work on new drugs to help those living with this complex disease.