An inflammatory and infectious condition that occurs due to Trypanosoma cruzi parasite is called Chagas disease. Usually, this parasite is found in the feces of triatomine bugs (also known as “kissing bugs”). This condition is mostly diagnosed where the triatomine bug primarily lives. These include South and Central America and Mexico. However, there are a few cases of Chagas disease found in the southern United States.
Sometimes, this condition is called American trypanosomiasis and it can infect anyone. Furthermore, if you do not get treatment for this infectious condition, it may lead to serious complications such as problems with the heart, digestive system, and others.
Usually, the treatment goal is to destroy the parasite, but if you develop a chronic form of the disease, it is impossible to destroy it. Thus, the treatment involves medications to control symptoms and prevent complications. However, there are some measures that may help prevent the disease.
Symptoms
The symptoms caused by this disease range between mild to severe and depend on the form of the condition you experience (acute or chronic). However, a lot of people do not experience any symptoms until the chronic form of the disease occurs. Check below some symptoms according to the stage of the disease:
Acute Phase
This phase may last up to a few months and it usually does not cause any symptoms. However, some people may experience some mild signs of the disease. These include:
- Fever
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- Infection site swelling
- Headaches
- Appetite changes
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Swollen glands
- Liver of spleen enlargement
- Eyelid swelling
Commonly, previous symptoms go away on their own.
Chronic Phase
The symptoms of chronic Chagas disease may happen even after 20 years of the initial infection or may never occur. Check below some symptoms that appear in severe cases of Chagas disease:
- Heart failure
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Swallowing problems caused by a swollen esophagus (the tube that carries food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach)
- Stomach pain
- Constipation (it is caused often by an enlarged colon)
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
It is advised to visit regularly the doctors to check for Chagas disease if you live or travel where the condition is common.
Causes
The primary cause of Chagas disease is a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi that often spreads from an insect called triatomine bug (also known as “kissing bug). These tiny insects become infected with the parasite when swallow blood from an infected animal. Furthermore, the triatomine bugs live mainly in thatch, mud, or adobe huts in Central and South America and Mexico.
These insects usually hide in the crevices in the walls during the day and come during nighttime. They usually feed on sleeping humans where they defecate leaving parasites on the skin. Trypanosoma cruzi may enter the body through the mouth, eyes, or a cut, scratch, or wound from the bug’s bite. In any case, people may also become infected with this parasite in the following cases. For example:
- A child whose mother is infected with the parasite
- Uncooked contaminated food
- Blood transfusion or an organ transplant from an infected person
- Accidental exposure to the parasite while working in a laboratory
Risk Factors
Healthcare providers identified some factors that may increase your risk of developing Chagas disease. Examples include:
- Living or traveling in regions where Chagas disease is common. For example Mexico and South and Central America.
- Receiving organ transplant or blood transfusion from an infected person.
- Eating contaminated foods or drinks
- Family history of Chagas disease
- During pregnancy, the parasite may pass to the baby
Generally, people who travel in regions where the disease is common rarely get the condition because they tend to stay in buildings that are well-constructed (such as hotels). These bugs that carry the parasite usually are found in structures built with thatch, adobe, or mud.
What Are The Potential Complications of Chagas Disease?
When the disease is left untreated, it may progress to a chronic form and cause serious or even life-threatening complications. For example:
- Megaesophagus (esophagus enlargement) – This is a rare disease in which the tube that carries food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach becomes abnormally widened. Thus, it may cause swallowing and digestion problems.
- Megacolon (colon enlargement) – In such cases, the colon becomes widened. As a result, it may lead to stomach pain, swelling, and severe constipation.
- Heart Failure – This complication can be life-threatening without immediate treatment. When it occurs, the heart muscle is no longer available to pump blood to supply the body’s needs.
How to Prevent Chagas Disease?
Check below some tips that may help prevent the disease:
- Do not sleep in mud, adobe, or thatch houses because these are the common places where triatomine bugs harbor.
- If you do not have another option, before sleeping it is advised to use insecticide-soaked netting over the bed.
- You can also use insect repellent on exposed skin.
Diagnosis
Physicians usually begin the diagnosis of the disease with a physical examination to check for abnormalities linked with Chagas disease and some questions about your medical history and symptoms. In most cases, a blood test can help identify parasites that cause Chagas disease.
Additional tests are recommended for people who are diagnosed with the disease to check if the disease has entered the chronic (long-lasting) phase and for complications. These include:
- Electrocardiogram – This test is used to measure the electrical activity of the heart.
- Chest or abdominal X-ray – This is an imaging test used to check for heart enlargement or changes in its function or structure.
- Echocardiogram – This is a specific test that uses sound waves to make moving images of the heart. It helps determine heart function.
- Upper endoscopy – It involves a small and lighted tube with a camera on the end to check the esophagus for abnormalities linked with Chagas disease.
Treatment
The treatment goal is to destroy the parasite in the acute phase and control the symptoms in the chronic phase of the condition. Commonly, physicians prescribe Benznidazole and Nifurtimox in the acute phase of the disease to kill the parasite. While in most regions these medicines are available, in the U.S. you can get these medicines only through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unfortunately, once the disease enters the chronic phase, medicines cannot cure it. However, some medicines are given to the patients to slow the disease progression and prevent serious complications. Check below for additional treatments:
- Heart complications – People who develop heart complications from the Chagas disease may need additional treatment to control heart rhythm. These include medicines, pacemakers, surgery, and even a heart transplant (in rare cases).
- Digestive complications – Treatment usually involves dietary changes, medicines (such as corticosteroids), or surgery (in severe cases).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the symptoms of the Chagas disease?
People with this disease usually do not experience symptoms in the early stages. However, when the disease progresses and enters the chronic (long-lasting) phase, it may cause the following symptoms. For example:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Digestive, heart, and neurological problems (these may occur in the chronic phase of the disease)
If any of the symptoms listed above occur, immediately visit your healthcare provider.
Can Chagas disease be cured?
Yes, but only in the acute phase. If the disease enters the chronic phase, the treatment focuses on controlling the symptoms and preventing complications. To destroy the parasite, doctors usually prescribe Benznidazole or Nifurtimox.
What happens if Chagas disease is left untreated?
People who do not get treatment for this disease may experience some serious and even life-threatening complications. For example:
- Permanent damage to the heart, brain, and other organs
- Severe constipation
- Enlarged colon or esophagus
- Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
- Heart failure
This article does not contain all possible complications of the Chagas disease. If you have additional questions, ask your healthcare provider.
