Chagas' disease

Chagas' disease
/shah"geuhs/, Pathol.
an infectious disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, occurring chiefly in tropical America and characterized by irregular fever, palpable lymph nodes, and often heart damage. Also called American trypanosomiasis.
[1910-15; named after C. Chagas (1879-1934), Brazilian physician, its describer]

* * *

also called  American trypanosomiasis  
 infection with the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. It is transmitted to humans by bloodsucking reduviid bugs and is endemic in most rural areas of Central and South America. The disease is most often transmitted by contact with the feces of infected insects, commonly through scratching of the skin at the site of the insects' bites, or through the mucous membranes of the eye and mouth. About a week following inoculation, local signs appear, including edema (swelling) and lymph node enlargement; the patient may have fever and prostration for several weeks. The disease may then enter a chronic stage, characterized chiefly by heart symptoms, mainly disturbances of the rhythm; heart failure sometimes occurs because of the development of the parasite in the muscle fibres of the heart and because of the accompanying inflammatory reaction. The infection may end in death, especially in children, or the course may be mild. Nifurtimox is the drug of choice for treating acute T. cruzi infections, though benznidazole is an alternative agent. There is no effective treatment for chronic infections. Prevention is centred on control of the insect carrier and screening of the blood supply to avoid transfusion of infected blood.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chagas' disease — n. [Carlos Chagas, a physician in Brazil, 1879 1934] a form of trypanosomiasis caused by infection with {Trypamosoma cruzi}, found principally in South America. It is transmitted by certain species of reduviid bugs, and has natural reservoirs in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Chagas' disease — [shä′gəs] n. [after Carlos Chagas, Brazilian physician who identified it (1909)] a type of trypanosomiasis, common in Central and South America, caused by a parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) that is carried by reduviid insects, and characterized by… …   English World dictionary

  • Chagas disease — Classification and external resources …   Wikipedia

  • Chagas' disease — Cha·gas disease shäg əs (əz ) n a tropical American disease that is caused by a protozoan of the genus Trypanosoma (T. cruzi) transmitted by reduviid bugs esp. of the genus Triatoma, that has an acute form primarily affecting children and marked… …   Medical dictionary

  • chagas' disease — (also Chagas s disease) n. a kind of sleeping sickness caused by a protozoan transmitted by blood sucking bugs. Etymology: C. Chagas, Braz. physician d. 1934 …   Useful english dictionary

  • Chagas disease — Cha·gas disease (chahґgəs) [Carlos Justiniano Ribeiro das Chagas, Brazilian physician, 1879–1934] see under disease …   Medical dictionary

  • Chagas' disease — a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is transmitted to humans when the trypanosomes, present in the faeces of nocturnal bloodsucking reduviid bugs, come into contact with wounds and scratches on the skin or the… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • Chagas' disease — noun Etymology: Carlos Chagas died 1934 Brazilian physician Date: 1912 a tropical American disease that is caused by a trypanosome (Trypanosoma cruzi) and is marked by prolonged high fever, edema, and enlargement of the spleen, liver, and lymph… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Chagas'disease — Cha·gas disease (shäʹgəs) n. A South American form of trypanosomiasis caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi that is characterized by fever and enlargement of the spleen and lymph nodes.   [After Carlos Chagas (1879 1934), Brazilian… …   Universalium

  • Chagas' disease — [ tʃα:gəsɪz] noun a disease caused by a trypanosome transmitted by bloodsucking bugs, endemic in Central and South America and causing damage to the heart and central nervous system. Origin early 20th cent.: named after the Brazilian physician… …   English new terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”