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The Mystery of Chagas Disease: Why Is It Called the 'American Parasitic Disease'?
Chagas disease, a tropical parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and spread mainly through "kissing bugs", is a little-known but quite deadly disease. The disease is also known as the “parasitosis of the Americas,” and the story behind it is closely related to its prevalence in South America and its long-term health effects. It is estimated that as of 2019, Chagas disease affects approximately 6.5 million people worldwide and kills approximately 9,490 people each year.
The symptoms of Chagas disease will change over time during the infection process. Early symptoms are usually mild or absent, while the chronic stage may cause damage to the heart and other organs, causing long-term adverse effects on the patient's life.
How Chagas disease is transmitted
Chagas disease is primarily spread through the bites of kissing bugs, whose feces contain parasites that can enter the bloodstream when they bite humans. In addition to insect bites, the disease can also be spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, infected food or drinking water, and vertical transmission from mother to child.
Course and symptoms
The course of Chagas disease is divided into acute and chronic stages. The acute stage usually occurs one to two weeks after the bite, however most people will not show obvious symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include fever, weakness, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms will disappear naturally within a few weeks.
About 30-40% of people with chronic infection will eventually develop cardiac or digestive system dysfunction, making Chagas disease a life-threatening condition in the long term.
Diagnosis and Prevention
Early diagnosis of Chagas disease is usually done by examining the blood under a microscope to detect the parasite, or using polymerase chain reaction to detect its DNA. The chronic stage is diagnosed by looking for antibodies to T. cruzi in the blood.
Prevention of Chagas disease focuses on eliminating kissing bugs and avoiding bites, including the use of insecticides and anti-mosquito nets. Additionally, transfused blood needs to be screened to reduce the risk of transmission.
Treatment methods
There are currently two main antiparasitic drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease: benidazole and nifertimol. These drugs are most effective in the acute phase and become less effective in the chronic phase. In addition, for complications of chronic disease, patients may require targeted treatments to relieve damage to the heart or digestive system.
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease. Many countries around the world are still trying to find effective prevention and treatment strategies, especially in areas with severe epidemics.
Global Impact and Future Outlook
With large-scale population migration, Chagas disease has gradually spread to the United States and many European countries, posing new challenges to transmission and epidemic prevention. Although many countries have implemented extensive screening and control measures, many people remain unaware of the infection due to poverty.
The scientific community is actively looking for new treatments and vaccines for Chagas disease, but no vaccine has yet been successfully put into use. This is not only a test for scientific research, but also makes people think about how to control such tropical diseases more effectively in the context of globalization.
