Chagas disease.
Chagas disease is the clinical condition triggered by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The infection is transmitted by triatomine insects while blood feeding on a human host. Field studies predict that one third of an estimated 18 million T cruzi-infected humans in Latin America will die of Chagas disease. Acute infections are usually asymptomatic, but the ensuing chronic T cruzi infections have been associated with high ratios of morbidity and mortality: Chagas heart disease leads to unexpected death in 37.5% of patients, 58% develop heart failure and die and megacolon or megaoesophagus has been associated with death in 4.5%. The pathogenesis of Chagas disease appears to be related to a parasite-induced mutation of the vertebrate genome. Currently, treatment is unsatisfactory.
Teixeira
A R L
AR
Chagas Disease Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, PO Box 04536 70919-970, Federal District, Brazil. ateixeir@unb.br
Nitz
N
N
Guimaro
M C
MC
Gomes
C
C
Santos-Buch
C A
CA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014224:Triatoma / Q000469:parasitology; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity
D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents