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Chagas disease results in 45,000-50,000 deaths
per year. Mortality is mainly due to chronic chagasic
cardiomyopathy. Sudden death, usually due to ventricular
fibrillation, is the principal cause of death
in 60% of cases.
Bradyarrhythmia, thromboembolic phenomena, and,
rarely, a ruptured aneurysm, are other causes
of student death. Congestive heart failure (25-30%
of cases, cerebral or pulmonary embolism (10-15%
of cases) and, less frequently, volvulus of the
dilated sigmoid megacolon and severe acute myocarditis
or meningoencephalitis in newborns (congenital
infection) or young children, are other causes
of death. Acute myocarditis or meningoencepahlitis
is also frequently lethal in chagasic patients
co-infected with HIV.
Source of Information
• Yves Carlier, MD, MSc.
Chagas Disease (American Trypanosomiasis)
eMedicine.com, Inc.
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic327.htm
Used with permission from eMedicine.com,
Inc., 2004. Carlier Y, Luquetti AO, Dias JCP, Truyens
C, et al. Chagas Disease (American Trypanosomiasis).
eMedicine Journal [serial online]. 2004. Available
at: http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic327.htm. Accessed
Date (i.e., January 19, 2004).
More Information
• The Chagas Disease
• Historical Review
• Dr.
Carlos Justiniano Riveiro Chagas (1879-1934)
• Dr.
Salvador Mazza (1886 -1946)
• Dr.
Mario Fatala Chabén (1936-1962)
• Dr.
Oswaldo Cruz (1872-1917)
• Medical
Information
• Epidemiology
• Mortality
• Race,
sex and age.
• Modes
of Transmission
• Pathophysiology
• Clinical
Information
• Diagnostic
• Other
Medical Information
• Prevention
and Control
• Frequently Asked Questions
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