Where is Chagas disease found?
Where is Chagas disease found?
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors and is found only in the Americas (mainly, in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread). Chagas disease (T. cruzi infection) is also referred to as American trypanosomiasis.
How do you prevent Chagas disease?
Prevention
- Avoid sleeping in a mud, thatch or adobe house. These types of residences are more likely to harbor triatomine bugs.
- Use insecticide-soaked netting over your bed when sleeping in thatch, mud or adobe houses.
- Use insecticides to remove insects from your residence.
- Use insect repellent on exposed skin.
How do you test for Chagas?
During the acute phase of infection, parasites may be seen circulating in the blood. The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites.
Is Trypanosoma cruzi a bacteria?
Summary: Chagas’ disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and causes potentially life-threatening disease of the heart and gastrointestinal tract.
How does Trypanosoma cruzi move?
Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes and epimastigotes are propelled by a single flagellum, via mechanochemical oscillations that generate motile forces.
How does Chagas disease affect the heart?
The pathology of Chagas disease is based in an inmunoinflammatory reaction producing fibrosis and remodelling, mainly in the myocardium. In many cases these mechanisms result in a dilated cardiomyopathy with HF and reduced ejection fraction, frequent cardiac arrhythmias and different types of heart block.
What organ is targeted during an infection with Trypanosoma cruzi?
Tissue infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi in mammals.
| Target tissue | Human | |
|---|---|---|
| Acute | Chronic | |
| Spleen | ND | ND |
| Stomach/esophagus | ND | Vago et al. (91) |
| Thymus | ND | ND |
What sample is used for diagnosis of T. cruzi?
cruzi infection using two different commercial serological tests. We have shown that detection of T. cruzi infection is possible using saliva samples, supporting the potential use of saliva to diagnose Chagas disease in humans. This method could provide a simple, low-cost but effective tool for the diagnosis of T.
What type of microorganism is Trypanosoma cruzi?
Background. Triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) are vectors of the flagellate Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease.
What is the vector of Trypanosoma cruzi?
cruzi vector. Trypanosoma cruzi is transmitted by kissing bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). The most common genera responsible for transmission of the disease are Triatoma, Rhodnius, and Panstrongylus. Infection usually occurs after bugs defecate on the bite site and are rubbed into the wound by the host scratching.
How does Trypanosoma cruzi replicate?
Trypanosoma cruzi replication in the mammalian host Flagellated infective forms of the parasite (trypomastigotes) invade mammalian host cells (I) and differentiate into round intracellular parasites (amastigotes) (II), which replicate by binary fission in the cytoplasm (III).