What are the symptoms of Chagas disease in dogs?
What are the symptoms of Chagas disease in dogs?
The clinical signs of Chagas disease are variable and non-specific. Most infected dogs demonstrate subtle signs, such as lethargy, decreased appetite, and weight loss. In more severe cases, you may also notice more severe signs, such as fainting, exercise intolerance, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Which agent causes Chagas disease?
Causal Agent: The protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, causes Chagas disease, a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans by blood-sucking triatomine bugs.
When did Chagas disease start?
Chagas disease is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the disease in 1909. It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors and is found only in the Americas (mainly, in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread).
How do they test for Chagas disease in dogs?
Diagnosis of Chagas Disease in Dogs
- Serology. Indirect fluorescent antibody testing, currently available at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, is the most accessible test for T.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing.
- Medical Tests for Heart Disease.
Is Chagas disease curable in dogs?
Chagas Disease has no known cure, and because it can be transmitted easily to humans, dogs and cats who contract the parasite commonly are euthanized.
Can I get Chagas from my dog?
However, the odds of a human getting Chagas disease from an infected dog are very low, experts say. To catch Chagas from a dog, a kissing bug would have to bite the infected dog first, and then bite you after the dog.
How many people are affected by Chagas disease?
One hundred and eleven years after its discovery by Carlos Chagas, American trypanosomiasis, also known as Chagas disease (CD), continues to be a neglected disease, although it affects more than eight million people worldwide, especially in Latin America, where the disease is endemic 1, 2.
How is Chagas cardiomyopathy related to heart failure?
Further, this report showed that individuals with Chagas cardiomyopathy died at a younger age and had fourfold higher all‐cause mortality than patients with more conventional causes of heart failure. 3 Through both globalization and immigration, the prevalence of CD in the United States is expected to increase. 4
What are the clinical signs and symptoms of CD?
The acute phase of CD has multiple clinical manifestations, most common of which are nonspecific viral‐like signs and symptoms including fever, malaise, and lymphadenopathy (Table 1 ). For this reason, many infected individuals are not identified, as they often do not seek medical care.