title: Orally-transmitted Chagas disease.
abstract: Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is most frequently associated with a vectorial transmission. However, in recent years we have observed a significant increase in the oral transmission of the disease, associated mainly with the consumption of drinks made from fruit or other vegetables contaminated with triatomine faeces or secretions from infected mammals. After a latency period of 3 to 22 days after ingestion, the oral infection is characterized by more severe manifestations than those associated with vectorial transmission: prolonged fever, acute myocarditis with heart failure and, in some cases, meningoencephalitis. Mortality can reach up to 33% of those infected. The aim of this paper is to review this matter and to promote prevention practices.
authors.affiliation: División de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Madrid, España. Electronic address: etafiligheddu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Filigheddu
authors.affiliation: División de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Górgolas
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, España; Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Elche, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D016266:Food Parasitology; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi
keywords: Brotes; Chagas disease; Disease outbreaks; Enfermedad de Chagas; Epidemiology; Epidemiología; Oral transmission; Transmisión oral; Trypanosoma cruzi