In: Biology
A 20 year old student returned to the United States after a three month stay in Guatemala. She had visitied rural villages during her stay. She had lost weight, complained of fever, shortness of breath and had upper and lower eyelid edema in her right eye. She had hepatosplenomegaly with lymphadenopathy. EKG tracings revealed abnormal P, T and QRS peaks and an enlarged heart. Thick and thin Giemsa blood stains showed a flagellated parasite shown in the figure. 1) What is the name of this patient's illness? What is the parasite causing the infection (Genus and species)? 2) How did the patient acquire this infection? 3) What is the name given to the lesion that may develop at the site of innoculation of the parasite? 4) What is the name given to the unilateral edema of the eye seen in this patient? 5) What other complications could occur in this patient?
Question: 1) What is the name of this patient's illness? 2) What is the parasite causing the infection (Genus and species)?
Answer: In humans, Chagas Disease which also known as American trypnosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by protist Trypanosoma cruzi.
Genus: Trypanosoma
Secies : T. cruzi
Question: 2) How did the patient acquire this infection?
Answer: Chagas disease spread to humans as a result of a bite of the insect triatomine ("kissing bug").
Question: 3) What is the name given to the lesion that may develop at the site of innoculation of the parasite?
Answer: Chagoma.
Question: 4) What is the name given to the unilateral edema of the eye seen in this patient?
Answer: Romana sign
Question: 5) What other complications could occur in this patient?
Answer: The chronic form affect internal organs e.g., the heart, the oesophagus, the colon, and the peripheral nervous system. Affected people may die from heart failure.