Chagas disease

Your healthcare professional does a physical exam, asking about your symptoms and anything that put you at risk of Chagas disease. If you have symptoms of Chagas disease, two or more blood tests can confirm the diagnosis.

If you're diagnosed with Chagas disease, you're likely to have more tests. These tests can show whether the disease has become chronic and caused heart or digestive complications. Tests may include:

• Electrocardiogram. This records the heart's electrical activity.
• Chest X-ray. This imaging test can show an enlarged heart.
• Echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves to capture moving images of the heart. The images can show changes to the heart or how it works.
• Abdominal X-ray. This imaging test shows the stomach, intestines and colon.
• Upper endoscopy. A thin, lighted tube called an endoscope goes into the throat to show images of the esophagus.

Treatment for Chagas disease is to kill the parasite and ease symptoms.

During the acute phase of Chagas disease, the medicines benznidazole and nifurtimox (Lampit) may help. Both medicines are offered in the regions most affected by Chagas disease. In the United States, the medicines are approved for treatment of children younger than 18 with chronic infection.

Once Chagas disease becomes chronic, medicines won't cure the disease. But the medicines may be offered to help slow the disease and its most serious complications.

Other treatment depends on the symptoms.

• Heart-related complications. Treatment may include medicines, a pacemaker or other devices to control heart rhythm. Surgery, or even a heart transplant, might be needed.
• Digestive complications. Treatment may include diet changes, medicines and corticosteroids. In severe cases, surgery might be needed.

You are likely to start by seeing your main healthcare provider. You may then be sent to an infectious disease specialist.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

• Your symptoms and when they began.
• Key personal information, including travel to other countries, major stresses or recent life changes.
• All medicines, vitamins and supplements you take, including doses.
• Questions to ask your healthcare professional.

For Chagas disease, some basic questions to ask include:

• What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
• What tests do I need?
• Is my condition likely to go away or to last?
• What treatments are there?
• I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage these conditions together?
• Can I pass this condition to others? Are those who traveled with me likely infected?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you suggest?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask questions, including:

• Do your symptoms come and go or are they always with you?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• Does anything make your symptoms better?
• What, if anything, makes your symptoms worse? Have you lived or traveled anywhere, such as Mexico, where the triatomine bug or Chagas disease is common?