What are the symptoms of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis)?

From the Guidelines

Chagas disease symptoms can be divided into three phases: acute, indeterminate, and chronic, with the chronic phase being the most severe and potentially life-threatening, as it can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death. The acute phase, which typically lasts 1 to 2 months, is often characterized by mild symptoms such as fever, malaise, and edema of the face and lower extremities, as well as generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly 1. In some cases, severe myocarditis can develop during this phase. The indeterminate phase, which can last for years or even decades, is often asymptomatic, but some individuals may experience subtle signs of cardiac or gastrointestinal involvement. The chronic phase, which affects approximately 10% to 30% of infected individuals, can lead to serious cardiac complications, including biventricular enlargement, thinning of ventricular walls, apical aneurysms, and mural thrombi, as well as conduction system abnormalities and dysrhythmias 1.

Some of the key symptoms of Chagas disease in the chronic phase include:

• Cardiac complications, such as irregular heartbeat, heart failure, and cardiac arrest
• Digestive problems, such as enlarged esophagus or colon, which can cause difficulty swallowing or severe constipation
• Neurological issues, although these are less common
• Sudden cardiac death, which can occur during any phase of the disease, but is more common in the chronic phase. The overall prognosis for patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy and heart failure is poor, with 50% of patients dying within 4 years 1.

It is essential to note that early detection and treatment with antiparasitic medications like benznidazole and nifurtimox can be effective in preventing complications, especially during the acute phase or early chronic infection 1.

From the Research

Chagas Disease Symptoms

• The symptoms of Chagas disease are not explicitly described in the provided studies, but the texts mention the consequences of the disease, such as heart and gastrointestinal dysfunction 2.
• The studies focus on the treatment of Chagas disease, including the use of benznidazole and nifurtimox, and their respective tolerances and efficacies 3, 4, 5, 6.
• Adverse events associated with the treatment of Chagas disease are reported, including mucocutaneous symptoms, digestive symptoms, neuropsychiatric events, arthralgia, dyspnoea, sensitive neuropathy, and pruritus 3.
• The provided studies do not offer a comprehensive list of Chagas disease symptoms, but they highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment to prevent long-term sequelae 2, 5.

Treatment-Related Symptoms

• The treatment of Chagas disease with benznidazole and nifurtimox can cause various symptoms, including:
  • Mucocutaneous symptoms, which are more common with benznidazole 3
  • Digestive symptoms, which are more frequent with nifurtimox 3
  • Neuropsychiatric events, which occur in both treatment groups, but are more notable with nifurtimox 3
• These symptoms can lead to treatment interruption, emphasizing the need for improved treatment tolerance and new therapeutic options 3.