Book chapter
318 - Chagas Disease
Goldman-Cecil Medicine, pp.2126-2130.e1
Elsevier Inc, 27th Edition
2024
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-93038-3.00318-X
Abstract
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a zoonotic infection caused by the single-cell protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi is spread by blood-sucking triatomine insects among its various mammalian hosts, which include domestic and wild animals as well as humans. T. cruzi also can be transmitted from mother to fetus, through blood products and organ transplantation, by ingestion of contaminated food and drink, and in laboratory accidents. Infection with T. cruzi in humans is lifelong. Chagas disease is endemic in Mexico, as well as in all the countries of Central and South America but not in any of the Caribbean islands. Approximately 6 to 8 million persons are chronically infected with T. cruzi, about 28,000 new infections occur each year, and roughly 12,000 persons die of the illness annually. An estimated 240,000 to 350,000 immigrants with Chagas disease from endemic countries currently live in the United States. About 10 to 30% of persons who are chronically infected with T. cruzi ultimately develop cardiac and/or gastrointestinal symptoms related to the persistent presence of the parasite. The diagnosis of acute and congenital Chagas disease is made by parasitologic methods, typically direct microscopic examination of blood or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Chronic T. cruzi infection is diagnosed serologically. Nifurtimox and benznidazole are the only two drugs available for treating T. cruzi infections, and the latter is preferred by most experts. Parasitologic cure rates are relatively high for acute and congenital infections but unfortunately very low in persons with long-standing infections. No convincing data from randomized controlled trials indicate that treatment of chronically infected persons with either drug significantly affects long-term outcomes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- 318 - Chagas Disease
- Creators
- Louis V. Kirchhoff
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Goldman-Cecil Medicine, pp.2126-2130.e1
- Edition
- 27th Edition
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc; Philadelphia, PA
- DOI
- 10.1016/B978-0-323-93038-3.00318-X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2024
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases; Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9984473759202771
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