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How does infection with T cruzi lead to heart disease?

How does infection with T cruzi lead to heart disease?

T. cruzi induce production of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 from infected endothelial cells which may aggravate myocardial ischemia due to decreased circulatory capacity [23]. Another possibility is that microvascular damage may be indirectly initiated by the parasite, as it has been shown that T.

What type of cardiomyopathy is caused by Chagas disease?

Chagas heart disease is considered an arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy characterized by atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and a wide variety of abnormalities of the conduction system. Electrocardiographic rhythm changes are predictors of both disease severity and outcome.

Does Chagas disease cause dilated cardiomyopathy?

Typical cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease include dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, cardioembolism and stroke. Clinical and laboratory-based research to define the pathology resulting from T.

Does Chagas disease cause myocarditis?

Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite that can cause acute myopericarditis as well as chronic fibrosing myocarditis. CD is the most common cause of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy in Latin America [1].

What does Chagas disease do to the heart?

Cardiac involvement, which typically appears decades after the initial infection, may result in cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular aneurysm, congestive heart failure, thromboembolism, and sudden cardiac death. Between 16 and 18 million persons are infected in Latin America.

What parasite causes heart problems?

20, 2018 — Chagas disease, caused by infection with a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi), causes chronic heart disease in about one third of those infected.

Can Chagas cause heart failure?

Chagas cardiomyopathy represents the most frequent and serious complication of chronic Chagas disease, affecting about 20-30% of patients, potentially leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolism, stroke and sudden death.

How do you diagnose Chagas disease?

During the acute phase of infection, parasites may be seen circulating in the blood. The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites.

What is chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy?

Parasite-dependent inflammation and myocardial damage – Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy is an acquired cardiomyopathy characterised by sparse inflammatory infiltrates, minimal parasitaemia, low-grade tissue parasitism, and intense and extensive reparative and reactive fibrosis (Rossi 1991).

Why does Chagas disease affect the heart?

The pathology of Chagas disease is based in an inmunoinflammatory reaction producing fibrosis and remodelling, mainly in the myocardium. In many cases these mechanisms result in a dilated cardiomyopathy with HF and reduced ejection fraction, frequent cardiac arrhythmias and different types of heart block.

What bugs carry Chagas disease?

Triatomine bugs are a type of reduviid bug that can carry Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease.

What happens to the heart with Chagas disease?

If Chagas disease progresses to the chronic phase, serious heart or digestive complications may occur. These may include: Heart failure. Heart failure occurs when your heart becomes so weak or stiff that it can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Enlargement of the esophagus (megaesophagus).

Why was Chagas disease named after Carlos Chagas?

Chagas disease is a disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is named for Carlos Chagas, the Brazilian doctor who first identified the disease in 1909. What causes Chagas disease? When people become infected by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, they can get Chagas disease.

When to seek medical attention for Chagas disease?

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience signs of heart failure, such as shortness of breath, ongoing cough, tiredness, confusion, and rapid heart rate, especially if you have recently been to Central or South America. Chagas disease is a disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.

Which is more common in Chagasic heart disease?

Right bundle branch block (RBBB) associated with left anterior hemiblock (LAHB) is the most frequently found abnormality change (>50% of patients). RBBB is more common than other non-Chagas heart disease (23.2% vs. 3.3%). Atrial fibrillation (AF) is 3.4 times more frequent in chagasic patients.