Chagas disease also called as kissing bug disease is caused by protozoa named Trypanosoma cruzi. This disease will cause inflammation on the skin which would lead to infection on other vital organs like heart and intestine. The parasite would enter humans through bugs which act as carrier of parasites. The symptoms of chagas disease can be mild or severe depending on the phase of the disease. It can be controlled by antiparasitic medications completely. This disease is common in Central America and South America where there is abundance of triatomine bugs.
Symptoms :
The symptoms of chagas disease vary from mild to severe. It exists in two phase namely acute and chronic phase.
Acute Phase :
Often there are very less symptoms in this phase. Even there are any signs it would be minimal to get noticed. Some of the symptoms in the acute phase are mild fever, fatigue, body pain, headache, swelling of skin, loss of appetite and nausea/vomiting. Most of the symptoms would resolve by itself within a week.
Chronic Phase :
There is a chance for a person bitten with carrier bug to have severe symptoms even after 10-20 years of infection. Some of the chronic phase symptoms are enlargement of heart, inflammation of tissues, irregular heartbeat, enlargement of lymph nodes, and difficulty in swallowing, abdominal pain and sudden cardiac arrest. You need to see your doctor immediately if you have some of the above symptoms or if you have traveled recently to Chagas disease prone areas.
Causes :
Chagas disease is caused by protozoa (Trypanosoma cruzi) which spread through kissing bugs of Triatominae group. When the bug bites a person the parasite can easily enter into his bloodstream through the small break on his skin. There is a chance for the parasite to enter the host’s body through inhalation or ingestion also. These bugs would leave their feces near your lips or eyes through which the parasites find its entry into your body.