Question

Chagas disease transmission can occur in many cases without being directly bitten by a kissing bug. How does inadvertent contact, cultural practices, and the transmission of parasites in the blood can cause Chagas disease? Which of these non-vector forms of transmission were directly targeted in control and prevention campaigns by INCOSUR and what measures did they take?

Answer 1

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is an infection caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) which cause acute inflammatory skin changes (chagomas) and may eventually cause infection and inflammation of many other body tissues including heart and intestinal tract. Chagas is transmitted to humans from the feces of triatomine bugs (kissing bugs).

MODES OF TRANSMISSION:-

Chagas disease is considered to be a non-contagious type, i.e, its not transmitted from human to human. Though the main reason of this disease is caused by the direct bite of the kissing bugs, other modes of transmission to human body are also there.

• Blood Transfusion:- Chagas disease can be spread through blood transfusion. All blood components are found to be infective in certain cases apart from some blood derivatives/fractioned antibodies
• Organ transplantation
• Through breast milk
• Congenital transmission(Mother to baby through placenta)
• Laboratory exposures
• oral transmission by eating contaminated food

By all these means, the parasite enters the blood stream of human body and they rapidly multiply there causing serious illness.

INCOSUR ROLE IN CHAGAS DISEASE;-

The Southern Cone Initiative (Iniciativa de Salud del Cono sur, INCOSUR) triggered the launch of different regional initiatives in CA and within the Andean region and Amazon regions. The initiative targeted the elimination of Rhodnius prolixus and the control of Triatoma dimidiata. Their main focus was:-

(i) to eliminate T. infestans from domestic and sorrounding areas within the endemic regions
(ii) to scale back or eliminate infestation as a result of triatomine species apart from T. infestans in domestic and nearby areas within the same regions
(iii) to cut back and eliminate the transmission of T. cruzi through transfusion through serologic management over donors in blood banks.