Chagas disease, also known as trypanosomiasis, is a tropical disease that can have quite significant consequences and if not treated, can put the lives of those affected at risk due to the important long-term effects it has on various vital organs. The countries that are usually affected by this disease have linked it with social and economic problems due to its important repercussions. Knowing about the existence of this disease and how to avoid it or treat it in a timely manner is important for people who live in countries where it is considered an endemic disease, as well as for people who travel to these countries for tourism or any other reason. reason. In this ONsalus article we will explain everything about Chagas disease: symptoms, contagion and treatment.
Causes of Chagas disease
Chagas disease is caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which inhabits the feces of a group of insects colloquially called bugs, chipos, kissing bugs and in many other ways depending on the country in question, and which basically groups together small insects similar to beetles that feed on the blood of mammals. When the insect bites its victim, it can defecate thus releasing bacteria that sometimes enter the bloodstream through the bite wound, thus causing the disease.
Chagas disease is a disease that mainly affects the countries of Central and South America, although it has also been found in the southern region of the United States. It develops above all in the poorest regions of endemic countries due to the precarious sanitary conditions. This pathology can also affect people who travel for different reasons to the regions where the parasite lives.
Transmission of Chagas disease
There are several mechanisms through which the parasite that causes Chagas disease can enter the body and cause the symptoms of this disease:
Normally, it is related to the bite of the carrier insect, but the parasite is found not in their saliva but in their feces, since that if the insect defecates immediately after biting its victim and the victim scratches the wound, it can cause the parasite to enter the bloodstream. There is also the possibility of contagion through mucous membranes, such as the eye.
Transmission from a pregnant mother contaminated with the parasite to her baby is a possibility. Although it does not affect the development of the baby or breastfeeding, the affected child may show the symptoms of the disease, so it is important to carry out a study to rule out the presence of the virus in babies when the mothers have been affected.
The possibility of direct transmission of the parasite through a blood transfusion has made that among the studies carried out on blood donors or blood as such, include the discarding of the parasite that causes Chagas disease.
In countries where Chagas disease is considered an endemic disease, the oral transmission of the parasite is a risk, in especially when consuming fruit juices that have been washed improperly.
An infrequent route of transmission is transmission through a cut or puncture from he alth personnel who work handling insect carriers or parasites.
Symptoms of Chagas disease
Chagas disease is characterized by having two main phases:
Acute phase
During the acute stage, the affected person usually presents non-specific symptoms such as:
- Fever.
- Headache, muscle or joint pain.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- General discomfort.
- Swollen glands.
- There may be an enlarged liver or pancreas and edema of the extremities.
- The region where the parasite entered may present a painless hardening called chagoma.
Chronic phase
During the chronic phase, the main problems are heart disease such as heart muscle damage, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, aneurysms, production of pulmonary embolisms and cerebrovascular accidents, which can cause the death of the affected person.
Heart problems often cause other problems such as hepatomegaly, pulmonary congestion, shortness of breath, and megaesophagus or megacolon, accompanied by gastrointestinal problems such as painful swallowing, reflux, constipation, and abdominal pain.
Chagas disease: treatment
The first step in applying treatment when it is believed that a person is affected by Chagas disease is to make a correct diagnosis, for which it is necessary to do a examination of blood to detect the presence of the parasite under the microscope, or try to isolate and cultivate the bacteria in a culture medium.
Once the parasite has been detected, it is necessary to implement antiparasitic drugs to control the progress of the disease and thus avoid the serious chronic problems caused by the parasite. However, this treatment has greater effect when the disease is in its development stage and loses effectiveness when chronic problems have been established.
In the chronic stage, treatments are usually aimed mainly at relieving problems in other organs, mainly cardiac ones, which will be treated in a similar way to heart disease caused by other reasons, in cases more serious ones may even need a heart transplant.
Chagas disease prevention
The insects that carry the parasite have adapted extremely well even to the civilized regions of the countries where Chagas disease is considered an endemic disease, for which the measures of prevention are of the utmost importance for residents and visitors from other countries.
These insects are characterized by feeding at night, so it is important to consider not leaving the house if you are in a rural area. Houses should have floors, walls and ceilings without cracks, since insects tend to hide in these spaces, and the regular application of insecticides helps a lot to reduce the amount of insects in homes.
It is recommended to use clothing that covers extremities as much as possible for people who are at risk of infection, as well as sleep with air conditioners and use blankets.
Knowing how to recognize the insect can allow a person who has been bitten by it to take action immediately, going to the doctor to carry out the necessary studies and apply the treatment as soon as possible in order to favor the diagnosis.
This article is merely informative, at ONsalus.com we do not have the authority to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to go to a doctor in the event of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
