The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources for Chagas disease may include:
List of 49 Chagas disease Symptoms
Note that Chagas disease symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Chagas disease signs may often refer to those signs that are only noticable by a doctor.
There are three stages of infection with Chagas disease; each stage has different symptoms. Some persons may be infected and never develop symptoms.
Acute:
Acute symptoms only occur in about 1% of cases. Most people infected do not seek medical attention. The most recognized symptom of acute Chagas infection is the Romaña’s sign, or swelling of the eye on one side of the face, usually at the bite wound or where feces were rubbed into the eye. Other symptoms are usually not specific for Chagas infection. These symptoms may include fatigue, fever, enlarged liver or spleen, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes, a rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting occur. In infants and in very young children with acute Chagas disease, swelling of the brain can develop in acute Chagas disease, and this can cause death. In general, symptoms last for 4-8 weeks and then they go away, even without treatment.
Indeterminate:
Eight to 10 weeks after infection, the indeterminate stage begins. During this stage, people do not have symptoms.
Chronic:
(Source: excerpt from Chagas Disease: DPD)Ten to 20 years after infection, people may develop the most serious symptoms of Chagas disease. Cardiac problems, including an enlarged heart, altered heart rate or rhythm, heart failure, or cardiac arrest are symptoms of chronic disease. Chagas disease can also lead to enlargement of parts of the digestive tract, which result in severe constipation or problems with swallowing. In persons who are immune compromised, including persons with HIV/AIDS, Chagas disease can be severe. Not everyone will develop the chronic symptoms of Chagas disease.
More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Chagas disease article. In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by:
These general reference articles may be related to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
The phrase "signs of Chagas disease" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Chagas disease that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Chagas disease" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Chagas disease.
The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Chagas disease. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Chagas disease has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Chagas disease signs or Chagas disease symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Chagas disease may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Chagas disease symptoms.
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