Test 3: Topic 10 Flashcards
Name Trypanosoma cruzi: DH: IH: Location in DH: MoT:
- Humans
- Kissing bug (triatomine bug/reduviid bug)
- Throughout the body (blood, liver, spleen, muscles, heart)
- Host rubs tryps into bite wound. (Vertical transmission from mother to child transplacentally
Who is Carlos Chagas?
Brazilian student, discovered T. cruzi
The first researcher to completely describe a new infectious disease, pathogen, vector, host, clinical manifestations and epidemiology
Where is T. cruzi usually located??
Mostly in S. America, but also increasing in the US (southern half)
What disease is associated with T. cruzi?
Chagas’ disease
What is the process of Chagas’ disease?
Damage due to trypomatigotes invading cell——> turning into amastigote——> amastigote reproduce and make toxins—-> form trypomastigotes again—-> Tryps breaking out of cell and spread
Explain the Acute phase of Chagas’ disease
- Attacks the first 2 months and causes parasitemia
- Restlessness, sleeplessness, chills, bone and muscle pain
- Can cause Romana’s sign
- Host can remain a asymptomatic carrier after symptoms
Explain Chronic phase of Chagas’ disease
- anytime after the first 2 months
- Parasite in heart and digestive muscle
- Serious symptoms after asymptomatic spread
- Causes megacolon and megasophagus
What is Xenodiagnosis?
- Used when parasite numbers are low
- allow kissing bug to feed on patient and look for epimastigotes in bug
What is the Tx for T. cruzi?
Benznidazole and nifurtimox
100% effective for acute and congenital infections
Very toxic
Lots of side effects
What is the Prevention for T, cruzi?
Eradication of kissing bugs
Replacing thatched roofs
Name some things needed to combat Chagas’ disease:
- More efficacious and less toxic drugs
- More epidemiologic and vector information for countries
- Better screening tools for infection
- Better understanding of parasite resistance to the host immune response
- Better housing for people in endemic areas
