Chagas Disease: Hidden Health Risk in the US; Here's What to Know

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 15 August 2023, 04:08 pm

Chagas disease affects hundreds of millions of Americans, yet it often goes unnoticed until it damages their hearts. Due to limited testing and awareness, only 1% of cases with this severe illness have been identified.

Trypanosoma cruzi, or American trypanosomiasis, causes Chagas disease, according to a Mirror report. The "kissing bug" triatomine insect spreads it by biting near the lips. These insects transfer the parasite by skin excrement through the nose, mouth, or skin cracks.

Experts Call for Public Awareness Campaign

The condition, named after Brazilian physician Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, who discovered it in 1909, goes overlooked chiefly in the US medical community despite its potential severity. Dr. Rachel Marcus, a cardiologist and medical director of the Latin American Society of Chagas, highlights medical professionals' need for further knowledge and instruction on this illness.

Chagas disease, prevalent in rural Latin America where bugs live in mud walls and thatched roofs, has come to the US unnoticed. Due to poor testing and knowledge, approximately 300,000 Americans have Chagas disease, according to the CDC, per NBC News.

Initiatives are being made to advance testing, therapy, and research. Experts are optimistic about better results in the fight against this hidden health menace since a new medicine is scheduled for human trials the following year, and Congress has suggested funding increases for rare illnesses.

Symptoms and Treatment

Acute and chronic stages of this illness are also present, according to the World Health Organization. An eyelid that is severely swollen is one of the signs of the acute phase of Chagas disease, which lasts for around two months. However, the majority of cases have no symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. In the chronic phase, parasites primarily infest the heart and digestive muscles, which may result in neurological issues, mortality, and heart and digestive difficulties.

Using benznidazole or nifurtimox as medicinal treatments to get rid of the parasite causing Chagas disease is an alternative. When used as soon as possible after infection, especially in the first acute phase, these drugs effectively cure the illness. This covers instances of mother-to-child transmission. When the problem persists, they lose efficacy, plus these drugs are more likely to harm older adults.