Should patients with chronic Chagas disease be treated with Antitrypanosomal drugs?
Antitrypanosomal treatment is recommended for all patients with acute and congenital Chagas disease or reactivated infection and for chronic T. cruzi infection in children <18 years of age. Drug therapy should be offered to adults 19 to 50 years of age who do not have advanced Chagas heart disease.
What are the treatment options for Chagas disease?
Treatment. To kill the parasite, Chagas disease can be treated with benznidazole and also nifurtimox. Both medicines are nearly 100% effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection at the onset of the acute phase, including the cases of congenital transmission.
How long does it take to recover from Chagas disease?
Most individuals who get the above acute-phase symptoms have them resolve spontaneously in about three to eight weeks.
Is chronic Chagas disease curable?
Today Chagas disease is treatable. Therapy is highly effective if given during the acute phase of the disease and less effective when administered during the chronic phase. This is why early diagnosis is so important.
What is Antitrypanosomal therapy?
Antitrypanosomal Agents. Specific antitrypanosomal chemotherapy for acute or early congenital Chagas’ disease is strongly recommended. Therapy is most effective when initiated as early as possible in the course of the infection; this curtails the magnitude of parasitemia and the dissemination of the organisms.
How can Chagas disease be prevented?
Avoid sleeping in a mud, thatch or adobe house. These types of residences are more likely to harbor triatomine bugs. Use insecticide-soaked netting over your bed when sleeping in thatch, mud or adobe houses. Use insecticides to remove insects from your residence. Use insect repellent on exposed skin.
How do you test for chronic Chagas?
The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites.
What is the chronic stage of Chagas disease?
If Chagas disease progresses to the long-lasting (chronic) phase, serious heart or digestive complications may occur. These may include: Heart failure. Heart failure occurs when your heart becomes so weak or stiff that it can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs.
How long does the chronic phase of Chagas disease last?
If untreated, infection is lifelong. Acute Chagas disease occurs immediately after infection, and can last up to a few weeks or months. During the acute phase, parasites may be found in the circulating blood. This phase of infection is usually mild or asymptomatic.
What is the meaning of Nifurtimox?
Nifurtimox, sold under the brand name Lampit, is a medication used to treat Chagas disease and sleeping sickness. For sleeping sickness it is used together with eflornithine in nifurtimox-eflornithine combination treatment. In Chagas disease it is a second-line option to benznidazole. It is given by mouth.