In: Biology
Answer the following about Chagas disease
Causative Agent: Describe and classify the microbe involved. If known, explain how the microbe causes/transmits the disease or interferes with normal body function. Also, describe the vector and/or life cycle for the microbe (if applicable).
Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma Cruzi. Insects called kissing buds spread the disease Trypanosoma Cruzi which is infectious in nature and the symptoms of the disease changes as the infection spreads. Trypanosoma Cruzi is a euglenoids parasite belongs to protoza. The class of Trypanosoma Cruzi is Kinetoplastea , its phylum is Euglenozoa and its order is Trypanosomatida.
This disease is mainly transmitted from the infected faeces of bug called Triatomine to humans. This disease can also be transmit from contaminated food which becomes infected by faecal matters vector. It also gets transmitted by blood transfusion from infected mother to child during the pregnancy period.
The vector Triatomine bug belongs to order known as Hemipetra , its family is Reduviidae . Its class is Insecta and its phylum is Arthopoda.
The Life cycle of Trypanosoma Cruzi has 3 main parts :
1. Epimastigotes parasite which is found in the midgut of insect by the pricesz of binary fission gets multiplied.
2. From the midgut epimastigotes reaches to hindgut where they get differentiate in Trypomastigotes which have the capacity to infect the cells of mammals.
They can enter the cells by mucus membrane or skin breaks and gets cinverted into third amstigotes.
4. Amitigotes gets multiplied in the host cells and they get transformed in the Trypomestigotes blood stream.