Organs influenced by chronic Chagas disease

Question

In the long term which are the organs influenced by the chronic Chagas’ disease?

Answer 1

In the chronic phase of the Chagas’ disease, which manifests years after infection, the trypanosoma infests muscles of the heart causing insufficient blood pumping, pulmonary edema and raise in the size of organ (cardiomegaly). This is the cardiac manifestation of Chagas’ disease. The major symptoms that seem are dyspnea, cough and cardiac arrhythmias.

In the digestive form of manifestation of the disease the parasite destroys cells of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the peristaltism of digestive tube. Since the motility of esophagus and intestines is decreased the transit of materials inside these organs is impaired and they rise in size (width), conditions correspondingly named as megaesophagus and megacolon. The major symptoms are dysphasia (impaired swallowing), constipation, formation and flatulence of fecaloma (accumulation of feces inside bowels).