Chagas Disease

Chagas disease is a disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Trypanosoma cruzi is related to the African sleeping sickness parasite. The parasite is spread by a bite from the reduvid bugs or blood transfusion with the parasite.. Chagas disease is a problem mainly in South America. The disease expresses itself in two phase: acute and chronic. Symptom of the acute phase include: 
  • Fever
  • General ill feeling (malaise)
  • Swelling of one eye
  • Swollen red area at site of insect bite
After the acute phase, the disease becomes latent and may revive after years. It then enters the chronic phase, whose symptoms include:
  • Constipation
  • Digestive problems
  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Swallowing difficulties

Prevention:
  • Spraying ones hut or home with insecticide, eradicting all bugs.
Cure:
  • benznidazole and nifurtimox

Work Cited

PubMed Health. Chagas disease,  American trypanosomiasis.<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002348/