Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
American trypanosomiasis
Treatment
The acute phase and reactivated Chagas disease should be treated. Infants born with the infection should also be treated.
Treating the chronic phase is recommended for both children and adults. Adult patients should talk to their doctor about whether to treat chronic Chagas disease.
Two drugs are used to treat this infection: benznidazole and nifurtimox.
Both drugs often have side effects. The side effects may be worse in older people.
Side effects may include:
- Headaches and dizziness
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
Neuropathy - Problems sleeping
- Skin rashes
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
About 30% of infected people who are not treated will develop chronic or
Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia) may cause sudden death. Once heart failure develops, death usually occurs within several years.
Complications
- Cardiomyopathy
- Enlargement of the colon (megacolon)
- Enlargement of the esophagus (megaesophagus) with swallowing difficulty
Heart disease - Heart failure
Malnutrition
Calling your health care provider
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you may be infected with Chagas disease.
Previous Section
Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Jatin
M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical
School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease,
Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
