BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuChagas diseaseParasite infection - American trypanosomiasisChagas disease is an illness caused by tiny parasites and spread by insects. The disease is common in South and Central America. Causes Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is spread by the bite of reduviid bugs, or kissing bugs, and is one of the major health problems in South America. Due to immigration, the disease also affects people in the United States.Risk factors for Chagas disease include:Living in a hut where reduviid bugs live in the walls Living in Central or South America Poverty Receiving a blood transfusion or an organ donation from a person who carries the parasite, but does not have active Chagas disease Symptoms Chagas disease has two phases: acute and chronic. The acute phase may have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, including:AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ChronicChronic refers to something that continues over an extended period of time. A chronic condition is usually long-lasting and does not easily or quick...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fever General ill feeling Swelling of an eye if the bite is near the eye Swollen red area at site of the insect biteAfter the acute phase, the disease goes into remission. No other symptoms may appear for many years. When symptoms finally develop, they may include: Constipation Digestive problems Heart failure Pain in the abdomen Pounding or racing heart Swallowing difficulties Exams and Tests Physical examination can confirm the symptoms. Signs of Chagas disease may include:Physical examinationDuring a physical examination, a health care provider checks your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinati...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Disease of the heart muscle Enlarged liver and spleen Enlarged lymph nodes Enlarged lymph nodesLymph nodes are present throughout your body. They are an important part of your immune system. Lymph nodes help your body recognize and fight germ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Irregular heartbeat Rapid heartbeat Tests include:Blood culture to look for signs of infection Blood cultureA blood culture is a laboratory test to check for bacteria or other germs in a blood sample.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Echocardiogram (uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart) EchocardiogramAn echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. The picture and information it produces is more detailed than a s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG, tests electrical activity in the heart) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to look for signs of infection ELISAELISA stands for enzyme-linked immunoassay. It is a commonly used laboratory test to detect antibodies in the blood. An antibody is a protein produ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood smear to look for signs of infection Blood smearA blood smear is a blood test that gives information about the number and shape of blood cells. It is often done as part of or along with a complete...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The acute phase of reactivated Chagas disease should be treated. Infants born with the infection should also be treated.Treating the chronic phase is recommended for children and most adults. Adults with chronic phase Chagas disease should talk to their health care provider to decide whether treatment is needed.Two drugs are used to treat this infection: benznidazole and nifurtimox.Both drugs often have side effects. The side effects may be worse in older people. They may include:Headaches and dizziness Loss of appetite and weight loss Nerve damage Problems sleeping Skin rashes Outlook (Prognosis) About one third of infected people who are not treated will develop chronic or symptomatic Chagas disease. It may take more than 20 years from the time of the original infection to develop heart or digestive problems.SymptomaticSymptomatic can mean showing symptoms, or it may concern a specific symptom. Symptoms may be signs of disease or injury. They are what a person fee...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal heart rhythms may cause sudden death. Once heart failure develops, death usually occurs within several years. Possible Complications Chagas disease can cause these complications:Enlarged colon Enlarged esophagus with swallowing difficulty Heart disease Heart failure MalnutritionMalnutritionMalnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider for an appointment if you think you may have Chagas disease. Prevention Insect control with insecticides and houses that are less likely to have high insect populations will help control the spread of the disease.Blood banks in Central and South America screen donors for exposure to the parasite. The blood is discarded if the donor has the parasite. Most blood banks in the United States began screening for Chagas disease in 2007.Open ReferencesReferencesKirchhoff LV. Trypanosoma species (American trypanosomiasis, Chagas' disease): biology of trypanosomes. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 276.Salvana EMT, Salata RA. American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease; Trypanosoma cruzi). In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 313.AllVideoImagesTogKissing bug - illustration Triatomid, the kissing bug, can carry Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis). (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)Kissing bugillustrationAntibodies - illustration Antigens are large molecules (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some non-living substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles. The immune system recognizes antigens and produces antibodies that destroy substances containing antigens. AntibodiesillustrationKissing bug - illustration Triatomid, the kissing bug, can carry Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis). (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)Kissing bugillustrationAntibodies - illustration Antigens are large molecules (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some non-living substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles. The immune system recognizes antigens and produces antibodies that destroy substances containing antigens. AntibodiesillustrationRelated Information Acute(Special Topic)Chronic(Special Topic)Malaise(Symptoms)Swelling(Symptoms)Cardiomyopathy(Condition)Heart failure(Condition)Heart failure - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 12/4/2022 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. 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Chagas diseaseParasite infection - American trypanosomiasisChagas disease is an illness caused by tiny parasites and spread by insects. The disease is common in South and Central America. Causes Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is spread by the bite of reduviid bugs, or kissing bugs, and is one of the major health problems in South America. Due to immigration, the disease also affects people in the United States.Risk factors for Chagas disease include:Living in a hut where reduviid bugs live in the walls Living in Central or South America Poverty Receiving a blood transfusion or an organ donation from a person who carries the parasite, but does not have active Chagas disease Symptoms Chagas disease has two phases: acute and chronic. The acute phase may have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, including:AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ChronicChronic refers to something that continues over an extended period of time. A chronic condition is usually long-lasting and does not easily or quick...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fever General ill feeling Swelling of an eye if the bite is near the eye Swollen red area at site of the insect biteAfter the acute phase, the disease goes into remission. No other symptoms may appear for many years. When symptoms finally develop, they may include: Constipation Digestive problems Heart failure Pain in the abdomen Pounding or racing heart Swallowing difficulties Exams and Tests Physical examination can confirm the symptoms. Signs of Chagas disease may include:Physical examinationDuring a physical examination, a health care provider checks your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinati...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Disease of the heart muscle Enlarged liver and spleen Enlarged lymph nodes Enlarged lymph nodesLymph nodes are present throughout your body. They are an important part of your immune system. Lymph nodes help your body recognize and fight germ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Irregular heartbeat Rapid heartbeat Tests include:Blood culture to look for signs of infection Blood cultureA blood culture is a laboratory test to check for bacteria or other germs in a blood sample.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Echocardiogram (uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart) EchocardiogramAn echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. The picture and information it produces is more detailed than a s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG, tests electrical activity in the heart) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to look for signs of infection ELISAELISA stands for enzyme-linked immunoassay. It is a commonly used laboratory test to detect antibodies in the blood. An antibody is a protein produ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood smear to look for signs of infection Blood smearA blood smear is a blood test that gives information about the number and shape of blood cells. It is often done as part of or along with a complete...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The acute phase of reactivated Chagas disease should be treated. Infants born with the infection should also be treated.Treating the chronic phase is recommended for children and most adults. Adults with chronic phase Chagas disease should talk to their health care provider to decide whether treatment is needed.Two drugs are used to treat this infection: benznidazole and nifurtimox.Both drugs often have side effects. The side effects may be worse in older people. They may include:Headaches and dizziness Loss of appetite and weight loss Nerve damage Problems sleeping Skin rashes Outlook (Prognosis) About one third of infected people who are not treated will develop chronic or symptomatic Chagas disease. It may take more than 20 years from the time of the original infection to develop heart or digestive problems.SymptomaticSymptomatic can mean showing symptoms, or it may concern a specific symptom. Symptoms may be signs of disease or injury. They are what a person fee...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal heart rhythms may cause sudden death. Once heart failure develops, death usually occurs within several years. Possible Complications Chagas disease can cause these complications:Enlarged colon Enlarged esophagus with swallowing difficulty Heart disease Heart failure MalnutritionMalnutritionMalnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider for an appointment if you think you may have Chagas disease. Prevention Insect control with insecticides and houses that are less likely to have high insect populations will help control the spread of the disease.Blood banks in Central and South America screen donors for exposure to the parasite. The blood is discarded if the donor has the parasite. Most blood banks in the United States began screening for Chagas disease in 2007.Open ReferencesReferencesKirchhoff LV. Trypanosoma species (American trypanosomiasis, Chagas' disease): biology of trypanosomes. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 276.Salvana EMT, Salata RA. American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease; Trypanosoma cruzi). In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 313.