[kellyhound]

Chagas heart disease, a form of a dilated cardiomyo*pathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major cause of cardiovascular related death in endemic areas. Although Chagas disease occurs significantly less often in Switzerland, physicians should be aware of the disease, especially in times of increased migration and mobility.

Chagas heart disease involves progressive myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction, ventricular aneurysm, congestive heart failure, thromboembolism, ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac conduction system abnormalities and sudden cardiac death, which is the main cause of death in patients with *Chagas heart disease.

This article describes a rare case of Chagas heart disease in a young woman in Switzerland and gives an overview of the disease including diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

[LittleNightmare]

Sooo did she get another heart...I hope so

[BiothDaSloth]

I learned about this as a hunter. Ticks in Texas bite deer, spread Chagas, and if you eat infected meat you will develop the disease in a a few decades.

[kellyhound]

Transmission of Chagas disease
In the Region of the Americas, T. cruzi is mainly transmitted to humans through the infected faeces of the blood-sucking triatomine bug, which is the disease vector. This insect normally hides during the day and becomes active at night, when it feeds on human blood.

In its search for a blood meal, the bug usually bites an exposed area of the skin (such as the face - hence its common English name, “kissing bug”).

Right after its blood meal, it defecates close to the bite. The parasite, T.cruzi found in the faeces of the bug, is transmitted when the person rubs the area of the bite in an instinctive reaction to the itch (caused by the bite), thereby putting the faeces in contact with the bite.

The parasite can also be transmitted when the parasite comes in contact with the mucous membrane of the eyes or mouth or through any other skin lesion.

Transmission can occur through contaminated food infected with the vector’s faecal matter. This frequently generates oral outbreaks, especially in hot and humid climates.

Other means of transmission involve transfusion of contaminated blood and from infected mothers to child during pregnancy or during delivery (congenital transmission). Less frequently, organ transplantation or laboratory accident can result in transmission.

Outside the Region of the Americas, transmission does not occur through the faeces of the infected vector, but rather through non-vectorial routes.

Cases of infection outside Latin America have been reported among travellers returning from endemic regions, adopted children and migrants.

Globalisation and increased international travel and trade between endemic and non-endemic countries make Chagas Diseases a growing concern at the global level.

[woodsetton]

The guy dropped the fucking thing!