American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease)

Pathogen & transmission

  • Kissing (Reduvid/Triatomine) bug: antisocial: bite, then defecate on the wound

Clinical

Diagnosis

Serology

  • Standard diagnosis by two tests: e.g. ELISA, immunoflourescence, haemagglutination,

Microscopy

  • Large kinetoplast

Risk factors / Who to test?


Treatment

Benznidazole

Nifurtimox

Similar benefit in terms of treatment results, but benznidazole is considered to have better tolerability

Current treatment protocol may reduce the whole body parasite load, but rarely leads to T.cruzi eradication

Annual serology recomended

Bailey below: