Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas* disease

Protozoan parasites are responsible for some of the most devastating and prevalent diseases of humans and domestic animals. Protozoan parasites threaten the lives of nearly one-third of the worldwide human population, and are responsible for the loss of more than 50 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and more than 2 million deaths a year. The parasite species responsible for malaria Plasmodium spp) are at the forefront in terms of their ability to inflict devastating effects and mortality on the human population, but the parasites responsible for the various forms of leishmaniasis (Leishmania spp), African sleeping sickness Trypanosoma brucei) and Chagas disease Trypanosoma cruzi) are also important contributors to global morbidity and mortality figures. Many other parasitic species also contribute significantly to the world s disease burden. 

Malaria (MSA-1) Plasmodium falciparum Chagas disease Trypanosoma cruzi... 

American trypanosomiasis (Chaga s disease) Trypanosoma cruzi Nifurtimox, benznidazole... 

African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) are caused by Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively. Sleeping sickness results from being bitten by the insect vector, the tsetse fly. At first there is only local lymphadenitis but about a month later generalized malaise, fever, and systemic disease involving skeletal muscle is seen. 

Chagas disease, both the serum immunoglobulin levels and complement titers were similar to those of other uninfected subjects living in the same area. The experimental findings in C.,H mice, that thymus-dependent cell mediated immune mechanisms arc involved in controlling infection with Trypanosoma cruzi appear promising. 

Trypanosoma cruzi Protozoal causative agent of Chagas disease... 

Chagas disease, the South American variety of trypanosomiasis, is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is quite different from African trypanosomiasis in its clinical and pathological presentation and in its failure to respond to many agents effective in that disease. It has both an acute and chronic phase. The latter frequently results in gastrointestinal and myocardial disease that ends in death. 

Conduction disturbances are frequently found in acute and chronic Chagas disease. In cultures of neonatal rat hearts, changes in the gap junction distribution were studied to discover whether they were associated with the infection. In cultured cardiomyocytes infected with the unicellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi responsible for Chagas disease, which is the most common cause of heart disease in South America, reduced gap junctional conductance... 

American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease, named after Carlos Chagas, who first described it in 1909, exists primarily only on the American Continent. It is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellate protozoan parasite. Chagas disease represents the leading cause of cardiac lesions in young, economically productive adults in the endemic countries in Latin America (Moncayo and Silveira, 2009). 

Kropf, S. P. and Sa, M. R. (2009). The discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas disease (1908-1909) Tropical medicine in Brazil. Hist. Cienc. Saude Manguinhos 16(Suppl. 1), 13-34. 

Chaga s disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Latin America, and represents a very serious public health problem in several countries. At present, the only available therapeutic agent for Chaga s disease is benznidazole. This nitroheterocyclic compound is not... 

JA13474>. A trypanocidal phenazine derived from p-lapachone was found to be active against Trypanosoma cruzi, the microorganism that causes Chagas disease, and its structure was determined in part by X-ray crystallography <02JMC2112>. 

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