Publication Date
Spring 6-4-2019
School
School of Health Sciences
Major
Biology: Biomedical Sciences
Keywords
Chagas disease, Latin America, acute and chronic phases, kissing bugs, combination treatments
Disciplines
Diseases | Medicine and Health Sciences | Parasitic Diseases | Public Health
Recommended Citation
Sherman, Emily, "Review of Chagas Disease and Treatment Obstacles to Eradication" (2019). Senior Honors Theses. 890.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/890
Abstract
The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control reports Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, as a major neglected tropical disease prevalent in 21 endemic Latin American countries. The agent of the disease is a single-celled protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, and common modes of transmission include infected feces of a triatomine bug, crossing the placental barrier, and blood products. The two phases of infection are acute and chronic, and the three most affected body systems are cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous. Although research has led to several advances in the knowledge of CD, there are gaps in treatment and epidemiological research, leaving millions of people susceptible to infection.
