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-againstchagas%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/7487
50/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-parasiticdisease-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=4
0cdeea7b21a29c7854b7ab277dca19b>.
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
benznidazole
nifurtimox
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 >.