Chagas disease cardiomyopathy: current concepts of an old disease.
Chagas disease continues to be a significant public health problem, as ca. 10 million people are still infected with T. cruzi in Latin America. Decades after primary infection, 30% of individuals can develop a form of chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy known as Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC). Data from both murine models and human studies support the view that an autoimmune response as well as a parasite-driven immune response involving inflammatory cytokines and chemokines may both play a role in generating the heart lesions leading to CCC. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the understanding of the immunopathogenesis of Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
Bilate
Angelina M B
AM
Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. bilate@saturn.med.nyu.edu
Cunha-Neto
Edecio
E
D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines