The Chagas disease, caused by the parasite ‘Trypanosoma cruzi’ itches their victims while they sleep, sucks their blood and defecates on their skin, it is spreading just outside of Latin America, and increases the risk of heart disease in different countries of the world, warns the American Heart Association.
The parasite ‘Trypanosoma cruzi’
commons.wikimedia.org / CDC / Dr. Myron G. Schultz
The agency notes that despite being mainly in South America and Central America, this disease, cataloged as a “silent killer” has become more common in other parts of the world. Thus, it is estimated that in the USA there are 300,000 people infected with Chagas disease; in Spain another 42,000, and cases were also documented in Italy, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.
According to the American association, the problem is that a third of those infected with this disease develop chronic heart diseases, including heart failure, stroke, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest. Apart from transmission by the ‘Trypanosoma cruzi’, Chagas disease is transmitted through contaminated food and drink, from pregnant mothers to their babies, as well as through blood transfusions and organ transplants.
Likewise, it is reported that doctors outside of Latin America are often unaware of this infection and its link to heart disease, which is why it is necessary “to increase global awareness among health professionals who treat patients with Chagas disease outside of the traditionally endemic environments “.
