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Chagas disease is a potentially life threatening condition that was historically mainly endemic to Latin America. Over the last decade, however, the disease has spread to and is increasingly prevalent in other continents such as North America and Europe, with an estimated 7 million people infected worldwide. It is primarily transmitted by insect vectors that carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease agent. In areas where there is vector control and in non-endemic countries, it is mainly transmitted via congenital infection. Cardiac and gastrointestinal complications are common in untreated individuals.
This book offers a comprehensive overview of Chagas disease, including its vectorial and congenital transmission, and molecular diagnosis, which is essential for screening, and developing and providing timely, effective anti-trypanosomal treatment. Written by experts working with infected patients on a daily basis, it discusses the pathogenesis of congenital, cardiac, gastrointestinal and oral Chagas disease, as well as its treatment and the pharmacological aspects of drug development in this area.
Chapter "Chagas Disease Treatment Efficacy Biomarkers: Myths and Realities" is available open access under a via link.springer.com.
List of contents
Overview.- Chapter 1: Chagas disease: past, present and future.- The agent.- Chapter 2: Trypanosoma cruzi Journey from the Insect Vector to the Host Cell.- Chapter 3: A panoramic view of the immune response to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.- Epidemiology.- Chapter 4: Epidemiology of Chagas Disease.- Chapter 5: Chagas Disease in Europe.- Chapter 6: Chagas Disease in the United States (USA).- Diagnosis.- Chapter 7: Diagnosis of Chagas disease.- Clinical aspects.- Chapter 8: Acute vector-borne Chagas disease.- Chapter 9: Congenital Chagas Disease.- Chapter 10: Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: Decision Making in the Midst of Uncertainty.- Chapter 11: Orally-Transmitted Chagas Disease: a Neglected Foodborne Infection.- Chapter 12: Gastrointestinal Chagas Disease.- Chapter 13: Chagas in immunosuppressed patients.- Treatment.- Chapter 14: CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OF DRUGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHAGAS DISEASE.- Chapter 15: In vivo Drug Testing for Experimental Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.- Chapter 16: Chagas Disease Treatment Efficacy Biomarkers: Myths and Realities.
About the author
Dr. Jaime Marcelo Altcheh is head of the Parasitology Service and independent researcher at Ricardo Gutierrez Children’s hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Hector Freilij is a medical consultant at the same institution. Both are experts for tropical and especially trypanosomal diseases and have extensive worldwide collaborations and publications in international journals.
Summary
Chagas disease is a potentially life threatening condition that was historically mainly endemic to Latin America. Over the last decade, however, the disease has spread to and is increasingly prevalent in other continents such as North America and Europe, with an estimated 7 million people infected worldwide. It is primarily transmitted by insect vectors that carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease agent. In areas where there is vector control and in non-endemic countries, it is mainly transmitted via congenital infection. Cardiac and gastrointestinal complications are common in untreated individuals.
This book offers a comprehensive overview of Chagas disease, including its vectorial and congenital transmission, and molecular diagnosis, which is essential for screening, and developing and providing timely, effective anti-trypanosomal treatment. Written by experts working with infected patients on a daily basis, it discusses the pathogenesis of congenital, cardiac, gastrointestinal and oral Chagas disease, as well as its treatment and the pharmacological aspects of drug development in this area.
Chapter "Chagas Disease Treatment Efficacy Biomarkers: Myths and Realities" is available open access under a via link.springer.com.
