Trypanasoma cruzi

1. PREPARED BY; ADEEBA AHMED

2. TRYPANASOMES
 Derived from Greek word trypana (borer) and soma
(body) its shape is like a corkscrew.
 They are unicellular parasitic flagellates.
 The first species identified was in a trout by valentin in
1841.

3. TRYPANASOMA CRUZI
 Discovered by Brazilain physician Carlos Chagas in
1909.
 The disease caused by Trypanasoma cruzi is chagas
disease also called as American trypanasomiasis.
 It is transmitted to animals and people by insect vector
(reduviid bug)
 It is found only in America.

4. PATHOGENESIS
 Chagas disease is present in two phases acute phase
and chronic phase both can be symptom free or life
threating.
 ACUTE PHASE
Starts one week after infection and last
for the first few weeks or months of infection it is
symptom free or show mild symptoms that includes
fever, fatique, body aches, headache, loss of apetite, rash
and vomiting

5.  CHRONIC PHASE
The symptoms of chronic phase
occur 10 to 20 years after initial infection or may never
occur. Howerver in severe cases signs and symptoms
includes irregular heart beat heart failure, cardiac arrest
and severe intestinal complications.
 The disease is also known as silent killer because the
infection can remain dorment in blood stream for
decades.

6. DIAGNOSIS
 Microscopy
 Xenodiagnosis
 Serology ; IFAT, ELISA
 PCR

7. TREATMENT
 Chagas disease can be treated with benzidazole and
also nifurtimox. Both medicines are 100% effective in
curing the disease if given soon after the infection at
the onset of acute phase including the cases of
congenital transmission.

8. PREVENTION
 Elimination of kissing bugs by building structures that
discourage bug inhibiation.
 Avoid building homes with palm roofs and cracks.
 Use of insecticides.
 Avoid pets in home to limit the reservoir of the
disease.