Chagas Disease – Symptoms and Diagnosis
Often, you can tell if you have Chagas Disease by the symptoms that you notice, such as the pain you feel in your mouth and throat, the chills you feel, and the red spots on your skin. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to visit your doctor. He or she will be able to make the right diagnosis and give you a treatment plan.
Symptoms
Those living in Latin America and Central America are at a higher risk of being infected with Chagas disease. It is a parasitic skin disease that causes inflammation of the heart and brain. Other symptoms include skin rashes, redness, and swelling of the side of the face. It can also be fatal.
Acute Chagas disease symptoms usually disappear on their own after several weeks or months. However, some people develop a condition called chronic Chagas disease. This can lead to lifelong treatments and complications. It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.
It can be treated with antiparasitic medications. These medications are available through the CDC Drug Service. These medications are provided at no cost.
Patients may also need surgery. The parasite enters the body through a bite wound. The skin, heart, and spleen can become inflamed. The lungs may develop blood clots. The glands can also become inflamed. The liver may become inflamed. The esophagus may become weakened, and food may pool in the stomach. This can lead to bowel failure.
Children are at a higher risk for Chagas disease symptoms. Infected infants can develop problems including diarrhea, anemia, and low birth weight. The parasite can also cross the placenta. The mother can become infected if she receives blood transfusions or organ transplants from an infected individual.
Chagas disease symptoms can be difficult to recognize during the chronic stage. However, doctors can perform an EKG to check for heart problems. They may also do imaging tests. If there are serious organ symptoms, a heart specialist may be consulted. The heart is affected in about one out of three patients.
If Chagas disease is diagnosed, the parasite can be killed through treatment. Treatment for Chagas disease usually focuses on preventing infections and managing symptoms. Benznidazole is the only antiparasitic medication that works. These medications are provided by the CDC Drug Service at no cost. However, older patients may experience more serious side effects.
People who are at a high risk of Chagas disease should avoid living in rural or undeveloped areas. They should also avoid poorly constructed housing.
Diagnosis
Several parasitological and serological tests can be used to diagnose Chagas disease. These tests vary depending on the circumstances of the application. PCR-based tests are used in acute Chagas disease, while serological tests are used for the chronic phase of the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of serological techniques for Chagas’ disease diagnosis. These tests have high sensitivity and specificity. However, they can generate false-positive results. This can lead to social stigma and psychological suffering.
PCR-based tests are used for the diagnosis of Chagas disease in cases of laboratory exposure or transplacental transmission. They may also be useful in cases of doubtful serology. They may also be used to screen blood donors in endemic areas. They are also suitable for evaluating and controlling treatment. However, they have limitations in the chronic phase of the disease. They have high costs and require infrastructure. They may also be useful for screening in blood banks. They can be helpful in detecting Chagas in blood transfusions and organ transplants.
The diagnostic tests for Chagas’ disease need improvement. There is a need to study the feasibility and cost-benefit of rapid tests. In addition, more research is needed to explore the efficacy and cost-benefit of the simultaneous use of two immunochromatographic tests in endemic rural areas.
A review of the literature was performed to evaluate the diagnostic tests for Chagas disease. A literature search was conducted in five databases. Three studies were included in the review. These studies evaluated four rapid tests.
Eguez et al, conducted a double-blind cross-sectional diagnostic study. Three hundred and forty-two subjects were recruited. Three hundred and twenty-two of them were clinical chronic chagasic patients. The sample was then submitted to three reference tests. The results showed that Gold ELISA Chagas showed 1.2% cross-reaction, while Immuno-ELISA Chagas had 5.5% cross-reaction. PCR with kDNA showed 70% sensitivity. However, PCR with stDNA showed higher concordance. The sensitivity and specificity of stDNA PCR were similar to that of kDNA PCR.
A study conducted by Mendicino et al25 evaluated the specificity and cross-reaction of the two immunochromatographic tests. Their results showed that both tests are suitable for the diagnosis of Chagas disease in rural areas. However, they were not included in the definitive diagnostic protocols.
Treatment
Currently, Chagas disease is endemic in 21 Latin American countries. It has also been detected in some Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, and African countries. It is a parasitic disease and is caused by the infection of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagas disease treatment includes drugs that are used to kill the parasite.
During the acute infection, the parasite is circulating in the blood and causes fever, swelling, and pain. These symptoms will resolve after treatment is administered. It is important to know the symptoms of Chagas disease so that you can seek medical attention. In addition, it is important to know that you should not take benznidazole or nifurtimox if you are pregnant, have neurological or psychiatric disorders, or are receiving certain medications.
The primary goals of Chagas disease treatment are to prevent further infection and to reduce the severity of symptoms. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and are often accompanied by ventricular arrhythmias. However, they can also be fatal. Treatment can also include supportive measures. These measures are useful in patients with advanced Chagas disease.
The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi can be transmitted by sexual contact, insect bites, laboratory exposure, and transfusion. A PCR-based test can detect the presence of a case. It can also be used to detect cases transmitted via transplants and transplacental transmission.
Benznidazole is effective for acute infection. It is also effective in preventing materno fetal transmission. It is given for a period of 60 days. However, it is only effective in the scrotum.
The first symptoms of Chagas disease can include muscle pain, fever, and swelling. However, they usually go away on their own. Some patients may also be referred to a specialist. Other signs include dysphagia, enlarged lymph glands, and heart failure.
In addition, Chagas disease treatment may also include drugs to slow the progression of the disease. Research has focused on identifying therapeutic targets for new drug development, including trypanothione reductase, type I nitroreductase, and ergosterol synthesis. Currently, only a few compounds are available and have demonstrated in vivo activity.
Prevention
Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working to prevent and control Chagas disease. This is done through a network of partners who work together to raise awareness about the disease, improve the diagnosis of Chagas disease, and provide resources to healthcare providers.
Chagas disease is a disease caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. It can be spread through the bite of the triatomine bug, commonly known as the kissing bug. The parasite enters the body through the bite and enters the macrophages at the site of entry. It then multiplies and infects other cells.
Chagas disease is a serious disease that can cause heart problems if untreated. Treatment for Chagas disease involves antiparasitic medicines that kill the parasites. These medicines can take a couple of months to work and may cause adverse reactions in about 40% of patients. However, the disease can be curable if it is diagnosed and treated early.
The first symptoms of Chagas disease are fever and muscle pain. They often resolve on their own but may result in thrombocytopenia if the disease becomes fulminant. However, in severe cases, the disease can lead to death.
Chagas disease can also be transmitted by blood transfusions and organ transplants. Therefore, screening blood donors and people who have had organ transplants is a necessary measure to prevent Chagas disease.
Serologic tests are used to screen blood donors in endemic areas. These tests are sensitive but may yield false-positive results in patients with other diseases. In addition, PCR-based tests can detect cases transmitted through laboratory exposure or transfusion.
Screening of pregnant women is also an important measure for preventing Chagas disease. However, the prevalence of congenital Chagas disease is low. Most congenital infections are asymptomatic. However, about 10% of patients develop cardiac alterations. These patients may require specific treatment.
Chagas disease is still endemic in some countries in Central America, Mexico, and South America. There are also some cases in Africa and Eastern Mediterranean countries. The goal of the WHO is to eliminate Chagas disease as a public health problem.
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