Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy

Authors

  • Vera Demarchi Aiello Pathology Laboratory - Instituto do Coração - Hospital das Clínicas - University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP
  • Fernando Peixoto Ferraz de Campos Internal Medicine Division - Hospital Universitário - University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP

Abstract

First described by Carlos Justiniano Ribeiro Chagas
(1879-1934) in 1909, Chagas disease (CD) or American
trypanosomiasis is caused by the protozoan parasite
Trypanosoma cruzi. This zoonotic infectious disease
follows a sylvatic cycle where blood-sucking triatomine
insect (known as kissing bug or in Portuguese as
“barbeiro”), acquire the parasite by sucking small
mammals’ blood and transmit to humans through
their feces, left close to the bite site. The parasite,
in turn, reaches the human blood stream when the
parasite‑laden feces are dispersed at the itching
bite wound.

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Published

2015-09-28

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