2007-04-01 06:16:18 · 3 answers · asked by madamefouefoue 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
We've had a few small outbreaks of Chagas Disease in the US among transplant patients, actually. It was all over the CDC and some of it was in the news. I helped work on some of the cases.
Chagas (aka American trypanosomiasis) is caused by T. cruzi, a protozoan that's related to the one that causes malaria (same genus). Many people acquire the infection in Latin America where it is endemic (transmitted through the bites of kissing bugs, which are big, ugly and scary). But then these people travel or emigrate to the US, bringing the infection with them. You can't pass it person to person through casual contact, though.
But yes, every now and then, one of these people with asymtompatic Chagas dies and donates organs. The infected organs get put into a person who is on a lot of immune suppressants (to avoid organ rejection), and the patient gets very sick with Chagas disease. I think there were two deaths. Because this is seen to be an emerging problem, the Red Cross will now be screening donors for Chagas disease.
Anyway, in short, Chagas is present in the US (in states with large Latino propulations), often imported and travel-related. It is curable, and it is very rare.
2007-04-02 06:43:25 · answer #1 · answered by Gumdrop Girl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chagus Disease is named after Carlos Chagus, M.D. It is caused by Trypansoma Cruzi and transmitted by the bite of a reduviid bug. It is characterized by fever,and facial edema.
The disease is primarily in the region of Brazil, Chile and Argentina.
2007-04-01 13:23:29 · answer #2 · answered by WC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Occasionally in Texas, more common in Mexico. It is carried by armadillos, and is caused by one celled animal.
2007-04-01 14:28:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋