Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, primarily damages the heart and digestive system, leading to serious, sometimes fatal, complications like heart failure, arrhythmias, or an enlarged colon/esophagus (megacolon/megaesophagus) years after infection, though many have no symptoms in the initial acute phase, which might present as mild flu-like illness or a skin lesion.
During the acute phase, some people experience symptoms like fever, tiredness, body aches, headache, rash, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or vomiting. Some people do not notice any symptoms during the acute phase. This can make it difficult to diagnose for Chagas disease.
Malaria Parasite (Plasmodium)
Not only a killer parasite, but one of the world's biggest killers, the malaria parasite is responsible for around 600,000 deaths a year.
Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major health issue in 21 countries in the Americas, affecting 6 to 7 million people. It leads to significant health and economic burdens, with around 30,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths each year. In Australia, there are 2,000 to 3,000 infected individuals.
A small number of people die from acute Chagas disease. On the other hand, a small number clear the infection without symptoms or treatment. But most people who aren't treated develop a chronic infection. Many can live for decades with a chronic infection without having complications.
Chagas disease is curable if antiparasitic treatment is initiated early, in the acute phase. In chronic infection, the treatment and follow up can potentially prevent or curb disease progression and prevent transmission, for instance, during pregnancy and birth.
You know you might have parasites through digestive issues (diarrhea, bloating, pain), fatigue, unexplained weight loss, skin problems (rashes, itchiness), sleep disturbances (insomnia, teeth grinding), increased appetite, muscle aches, or even seeing worms or eggs in your stool; however, many infections have few or no symptoms, so a doctor's diagnosis via stool sample, blood tests, or other imaging is needed for confirmation.
In the acute phase of infection, healthcare providers might observe parasites circulating in the blood. They can diagnose Chagas disease by detecting these parasites in a blood smear through microscopic examination. This involves preparing and staining both thick and thin blood smears to visualize the parasites.
Worms are a very common source of illness for both adults and children, so experts recommend that deworming should be done two times a year, or every six months, beginning at the age of two years. Deworming is the process of eliminating intestinal parasites, such as worms, using medication.
Zika virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite mostly during the day. Most people with Zika virus infection do not develop symptoms. When symptoms occur, they include rash, fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache that last for 2–7 days.
Chagas disease is often called a silent killer because many people don't realize they have it until complications from the infection kill them.
A trio of soil-transmitted helminths—intestinal roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura), and hookworms (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale, and Ancylostoma ceylanicum)―are dubbed the “unholy trinity.” Those helminths infect humans via ingestion of food or water contaminated with soil ...
Guinea worm disease (GWD) is caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis. A parasite is an organism (a living thing) that lives on or inside another organism. The disease affects communities in remote parts of Africa that do not have safe water to drink. There is no treatment nor a vaccine for Guinea worm disease.
Over several years or even decades, Chagas disease affects the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, the digestion system and the heart.
If you have symptoms of Chagas disease, two or more blood tests can confirm the diagnosis. If you're diagnosed with Chagas disease, you're likely to have more tests. These tests can show whether the disease has become chronic and caused heart or digestive complications.
In the heart, the disease can cause enlargement of the heart muscle, leading to heart failure. Other common problems are arrythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. In the gastro-intestinal system, there can be enlargement of the colon or the oesophagus, leading to digestive problems.
Symptoms of other worm infections
You can spot threadworms in your poo. They look like pieces of white thread. You might also see them around your child's bottom (anus). The worms usually come out at night while your child is sleeping.
If just a little bit of a worm is broken off, it can grow a new head or tail. But if you cut a worm in half, it will not live. Worms have 5 hearts located close to their head.
10 Warning Signs of Parasitic Infections
Blood collection facilities also test potential blood donors for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), which causes Chagas disease. This infectious disease, which is spread by the bite of certain bugs, occurs in Mexico, Central and South America and, rarely in North America.
Symptoms of Chagas disease in the acute phase (the first few weeks or months) are: Mild, flu-like symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, body aches, and headaches. Rash. Loss of appetite.
An ova and parasite test looks for intestinal parasites and their eggs (ova) by checking a sample of your stool (poop) under a microscope. The test is also called an O&P. Intestinal parasites are tiny life forms that can live and reproduce in your digestive system.