Penetration of the infected faeces is further facilitated by the scratching of the bite area by the human or animal host.
The specific name "cruzi" is an honor to Brazilian scientist Oswaldo Cruz, who taught discoverer Carlos Chagas.
[4] The Trypanosoma cruzi life cycle starts in an animal reservoir, usually mammals, wild or domestic, including humans.
When the triatomine bug subsequently takes a blood meal from a host, it defecates—its waste containing T. cruzi propagation stages.
The chronic form may develop 30 to 40 years after infection and affect internal organs (e.g., the heart, the oesophagus, the colon, and the peripheral nervous system).
[15] Subcellular findings in murine studies with induced T. cruzi infection revealed that the chronic state is associated with the persistent elevation of phosphorylated (activated) extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), AP-1, and NF-κB.
It has also been indicated that the loss of parasympathetic innervations can lead to sudden death due to a severe cardiac failure that occurs during the acute stage of infection.
[17] Another conduction abnormality presented with chronic Chagas’ disease is a change in ventricular repolarization, which is represented on an electrocardiogram as the T-wave.
[18] Villous plaque is characterized by exophytic epicardial thickening, meaning that the growth occurs at the border of the epicardium and not the center of mass.
Unlike milk spots and chagasic rosary, inflammatory cells and vasculature are present in villous plaque.
Since villous plaque contains inflammatory cells it is reasonable to suspect that these lesions are more recently formed than milk spots or chagasic rosary.
Parasites increase their mean speed; they explore smaller areas at short time scales and show a preference to be located nearby cells’ periphery.
Therefore, T. cruzi trypomastigotes can sense mammalian cells and modify their motility patterns to prepare themselves for infection.
[20] T. cruzi transmission has been documented in the Southwestern U.S., and warming trends may allow vector species to move north.
[21] Chagas' disease's geographical occurrence happens worldwide but high-risk individuals include those who don't have access to proper housing.
This is a contagious disease and can be transmitted through a number of ways: congenital transmission, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, consumption of uncooked food that has been contaminated with feces from infected bugs, and accidental laboratory exposure.
[23] New data in 2024 suggests the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among solid organ transplant recipients in the U.S. is on the rise, highlighting the need for enhanced screening protocols.
[citation needed] Diagnostic methods include microscopic examination, serology, or the isolation of the parasite by inoculating blood into a guinea pig, mouse, or rat.
The most used method for epidemiological management and disease prevention resides within vector control,[26] mainly by the use of insecticides and taking preventative measures such as applying bug repellent on the skin, wearing protective clothing, and staying in higher quality hotels when traveling.
It appears that frequent sexual reproduction events occur primarily between close relatives resulting in an apparent clonal population structure.