Treatments & Prevention Treatment during the acute phase of Chagas Disease is critical because it rapidly reduces parasitemia, decreases the chance of death and reduces the likelihood of chronic Chagas Disease (Kaplan and Porter 3). Only two drugs have been proven to improve the patient during the course of this disease and those drugs are nifurtimox and benznidazole. However, treatment from either of these drugs is difficult due to them not being FDA approved. Nifurtimox and benznidazole can only be administered through the CDC. In addition, up to 30% of patient stop the treatment of these drugs due to adverse side effects. Side effects for nifurtimox can include anorexia, weight loss, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and occur in up
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Chagas Disease is more common and flourishes where there is poverty and poor housing conditions. Since this disease is usually transmitted by the triatomine bug, it is essential to control infestation of this bug in these poverty stricken areas. This bug can be controlled by insecticide spraying and housing improvements. By just plastering the walls and repairing roofs of homes, the likelihood of getting bit by this lethal bug can decrease dramatically. Another way to prevent the spread of Chagas disease is by having professionals properly screen donated blood. Blood donors from endemic areas should be screened serologically in order to prevent infected blood from infecting others. Potentially infected organ donors should be screened serologically as well to prevent the spread of the parasite (Warrell, Firth and Cox …show more content…
Unfortunately, Since this is a disease that multiplies and circulates throughout the whole body, removal of all of the parasite is difficult and unlikely. However, the treatment may help with the painful symptoms. It is evident from the graph above that Chagas Disease is beginning to creep its way up into the United States. Because of this, clinicians must be aware of the red flags that may suggest this gruesome illness to stop the deathly spread to patient’s vital organs (McDonald and Mattingly 7). Since the pathogenesis of Chagas Disease is not fully understood, T. Cruzi is of great research interest. Researchers are working to figure out exactly how this parasite avoids the host’s immune response and the origin and evolution of the
Chagas Disease is more common and flourishes where there is poverty and poor housing conditions. Since this disease is usually transmitted by the triatomine bug, it is essential to control infestation of this bug in these poverty stricken areas. This bug can be controlled by insecticide spraying and housing improvements. By just plastering the walls and repairing roofs of homes, the likelihood of getting bit by this lethal bug can decrease dramatically. Another way to prevent the spread of Chagas disease is by having professionals properly screen donated blood. Blood donors from endemic areas should be screened serologically in order to prevent infected blood from infecting others. Potentially infected organ donors should be screened serologically as well to prevent the spread of the parasite (Warrell, Firth and Cox …show more content…
Unfortunately, Since this is a disease that multiplies and circulates throughout the whole body, removal of all of the parasite is difficult and unlikely. However, the treatment may help with the painful symptoms. It is evident from the graph above that Chagas Disease is beginning to creep its way up into the United States. Because of this, clinicians must be aware of the red flags that may suggest this gruesome illness to stop the deathly spread to patient’s vital organs (McDonald and Mattingly 7). Since the pathogenesis of Chagas Disease is not fully understood, T. Cruzi is of great research interest. Researchers are working to figure out exactly how this parasite avoids the host’s immune response and the origin and evolution of the