A new, terrible disease called Chagas disease has arrived in Italy. Here’s what it is and how to treat it if it is contracted.
There’s never a right one; we didn’t have time to get out of the COVID emergency that already appears on the horizon a new, dangerous virus, which is causing alarm in Italy by spreading rapidly. It was given the name of Chagasand it is extremely dangerous – potentially even fatal.
Chagas disease is home to a new alarm in Italy – Ossinotizie.it
The disease is spreading rapidly, thanks to the fact that many affected have no symptoms, making them carriers of the virus without realizing it. There is good and bad news: the good is that we already have a lot of information about the disease, the bad is that it is a very dangerous virus. In case of finding symptoms it is important intervene immediatelyunder penalty of serious health risks.
Chagas disease: causes and symptoms
The disease is associated with “kissing parasite”, but unlike mononucleosis, it is not contracted via saliva. The virus is mainly transmitted through bedbug bites, to then be transmitted by the unaware carriers. Symptoms are usually visible beforehand, but it is important to intervene immediatelysince the virus can become potentially fatal if it remains untreated.
Pay attention to the symptoms, because treating the virus immediately is essential – Ossinotizie.it
The bedbugs responsible for this virus they live mainly in Central America and the southern United Statesbut with the arrival of summer, the virus is already traveling rapidly around the world. A third of affected people experience acute symptoms. The first of these is a swelling and redness of the infected area. The following symptoms follow in the following days:
Fever; Dyspnea; Stomach ache; Diarrhea; Swelling of the lymph nodes; Enlargement of liver and spleen.
In children and infants, who seem more easily affected by the acute form of the disease, they can occur fatal complications, such as inflammation of the heart muscle or brain. The acute phase lasts about four weeks, followed by an indeterminate phase where the infected person does not show any symptoms.
In 30% of infected people the disease can become chronic. In these cases a myocarditis occurs which can lead to sudden cardiac death. The symptoms in this case are:
Pain in the heart area; Cardiac arrhythmia; Blockage of an artery from blood clots; Palpitations; enlarged heart; Shortness of breath; Pulmonary edema.
Chagas, how to cure symptoms
During the acute phase, the disease is treated with two drugs: benznidazolo e nifurtimox, antiprotozoa that must be taken for 120 days. Pregnant women or people with kidney problems cannot take these drugs.
Treatment in the acute phase simply requires medicines – Ossinotizie.it
The effect of these medicines after the acute phase is uncertain. In the chronic stage treatment shifts to symptoms affecting the heart or digestive tract. The success of treatment depends on how soon it is started: many people recover completely if treated during the acute phase.
In the chronic case, the complications they can be fatal, especially in young children. The prognosis will depend on the level of heart failure damage. In the most drastic cases the only option left will be a heart transplant. Without therapy, the most serious cases risk dying of sudden cardiac death, so it is important not to postpone e address symptoms as soon as possible.