Chagas Disease

Lauren Askew

Chagas disease is characterized by fever, nausea, and diarrhea or constipation and digestive problems

Anna, Moorhouse. "The Fight for Recognition: Chagas’ Disease Meets Controversy" The Journal of Young Investigators12.5 (2005) retrieved 4 November 2012 from http://www.jyi.org/features/ft.php?id=185

20-30% of people infected develop clinically evident disease

Rodriguez, Laura V. “Chagas Disease.” Austin Community College, Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2993q/tc.htm>.

Chagas is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi

“Trypanosoma Cruzi.” Stanford University, 21 May 2006. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2006/T_cruzi/>.

The most common mode of transmission is by triatomine bugs

“New Compounds Active Against Chagas’ Disease Parasite.”Drug Discovery Opinion. 5 Mar. 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://drugdiscoveryopinion.com/2009/03/new-compounds-active-against-chagas%E2%80%99-disease-parasite/>.

In order to survive, Trypanosoma cruzi transforms itself into four different forms in its lifetime

“Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also Known as Chagas Disease).” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/biology.html>.

In the acute phase, there is a high concentration of the parasite in the blood stream

http://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/750/flashcards/748750/jpg/trypanosoma_cruzi_closeup1330800977293.jpg

For the diagnosis of Chagas in the acute phase, blood smears are used

“Trypanosomiasis, American.” Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 July 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/HTML/ImageLibrary/TrypanosomiasisAmerican_il.htm>.

The chronic phase is asymptomatic and characterized by few parasites in the blood

“Chagas ‘disease, Parasitic Disease on the Rise Worldwide.”Pests and Pest Control. 16 June 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pestreport.info/parasites/chagas-disease-parasitic-disease-on-the-rise-worldwide/>.

For the diagnosis of Chagas in the chronic phase, we test for the presence of antibodies

“Products | ELISA | Vircell - ELISA Single Tests.” Vircell Microbiologists, Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://en.vircell.com/products/elisa/single_tests/?tx_gtkvircell_pi1%5Buid%5D=299&cHash=40cdeea7b21a29c7854b7ab277dca19b>.

Experiments recently conducted show that adipose tissue is the main target of the protozoa

Nagajyothi, Fnu, Mahalia S Desruisseaux, and Louis M Weiss. “Chagas Disease, Adipose Tissue and the Metabolic Syndrome.” July 2009. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3008359/pdf/nihms256472.pdf>.

Chagas Was First Discovered in 1909

Rodriguez, Laura V. “Chagas Disease.” Austin Community College, Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2993q/tc.htm>.

Chagas Is Endemic throughout Latin America

http://media.maps101.com/SUB/GITN/ARCHIVES/GIF/811_121605chagas.gif

However, North America and Europe are Being Increasingly Affected

A Angheben, M Anselmi., et al. “Chagas Disease in Italy: Breaking an Epidemiological Silence.” Eurosurveillance, 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19969>.

The efforts to reduce the transmission of Chagas have been effective

“Public Health.” Stanford University, Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2006/T_cruzi/publichealth.htm>.

Currently, there are two main medications used to treat Chagas

K Byler, M Brito-Arias , et al. “Identification of Benzoylisoquinolines as Potential anti-Chagas Agents.” Science Direct. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0968089612001484 >.

benznidazole nifurtimox