Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health
NCATS

COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation.

Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov (link is external)
Get the latest research information from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus (link is external)

National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences
1-888-205-2311
Menu Search
1-888-205-2311
Menu
  • Home
  • Diseases expand submenu for Diseases
    • Browse A-Z
    • Find Diseases By Category expand submenu for Find Diseases By Category
      • Autoimmune / Autoinflammatory diseases
      • Bacterial infections
      • Behavioral and mental disorders
      • Blood Diseases
      • Chromosome Disorders
      • Congenital and Genetic Diseases
      • Connective tissue diseases
      • Digestive Diseases
      • Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases
      • Endocrine Diseases
      • Environmental Diseases
      • Eye diseases
      • Female Reproductive Diseases
      • Fungal infections
      • Heart Diseases
      • Hereditary Cancer Syndromes
      • Immune System Diseases
      • Kidney and Urinary Diseases
      • Lung Diseases
      • Male Reproductive Diseases
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Mouth Diseases
      • Musculoskeletal Diseases
      • Myelodysplastic Syndromes
      • Nervous System Diseases
      • Newborn Screening
      • Nutritional diseases
      • Parasitic diseases
      • Rare Cancers
      • RDCRN
      • Skin Diseases
      • Viral infections
    • List of FDA Orphan Drugs
    • GARD Information Navigator
    • FAQs About Rare Diseases
  • Guides expand submenu for Guides
    • Patients, Families and Friends expand submenu for Patients, Families and Friends
      • How to Find a Disease Specialist
      • Tips for the Undiagnosed
      • Support for Patients and Families
      • Tips for Finding Financial Aid
      • Help with Travel Costs
      • How to Get Involved in Research
      • FAQs About Chromosome Disorders
      • Medical and Science Glossaries
    • Healthcare Professionals expand submenu for Healthcare Professionals
      • Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease
      • ICD Coding for Rare Diseases
      • FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool
    • Researchers expand submenu for Researchers
      • Finding Funding Opportunities
    • Teachers and Students expand submenu for Teachers and Students
      • Teaching Resources
  • News expand submenu for News
    • In The Spotlight
    • News Archive
    • Connect with GARD
    • Media Requests
  • About GARD expand submenu for About GARD
    • Contact GARD
    • About GARD
    • Videos
    • Brochures and Publications
  • En Español expand submenu for En Español
    • Enfermedades
    • Contacte GARD
    • Guías de Información expand submenu for Guías de Información
      • Preguntas Más Frecuentes Sobre Enfermedades Raras
      • Como Encontrar un Especialista en su Enfermedad
      • Consejos Para una Condición no Diagnosticada
      • Consejos Para Pacientes y Familias
      • Consejos Para Obtener Ayuda Financiera Para Una Enfermedad
      • Participe en Estudios de Investigación
      • Preguntas Más Frecuentes Sobre los Trastornos Cromosómicos
    • Sobre GARD
  • Home
© Positive Exposure
banner showing people with disabilities and/or their relatives
  1. Home
  2. Diseases
  3. Chagas disease
print
  • Table of Contents expand submenu for Table of Contents
    • Summary
    • Symptoms
    • Treatment
    • Research
    • Organizations
    • Learn More
    • GARD Answers
    • References
  • Browse A-Z
  • Find Diseases By Category expand submenu for Find Diseases By Category
    • Autoimmune / Autoinflammatory diseases
    • Bacterial infections
    • Behavioral and mental disorders
    • Blood Diseases
    • Chromosome Disorders
    • Congenital and Genetic Diseases
    • Connective tissue diseases
    • Digestive Diseases
    • Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases
    • Endocrine Diseases
    • Environmental Diseases
    • Eye diseases
    • Female Reproductive Diseases
    • Fungal infections
    • Heart Diseases
    • Hereditary Cancer Syndromes
    • Immune System Diseases
    • Kidney and Urinary Diseases
    • Lung Diseases
    • Male Reproductive Diseases
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Mouth Diseases
    • Musculoskeletal Diseases
    • Myelodysplastic Syndromes
    • Nervous System Diseases
    • Newborn Screening
    • Nutritional diseases
    • Parasitic diseases
    • Rare Cancers
    • RDCRN
    • Skin Diseases
    • Viral infections
  • List of FDA Orphan Drugs
  • GARD Information Navigator
  • FAQs About Rare Diseases
You can help advance
rare disease research!
You can help advance rare disease research!
toolbox
Find out how with the NCATS Toolkit.

Chagas disease


Información en español Title


How can we make GARD better? We want to hear from you.
Provide Feedback

Not a rare disease Not a rare disease

Other Names:
American trypanosomiasis; South American trypanosomiasis; New world trypanosomiasis
Categories:
Parasitic diseases

Summary Summary


Listen
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. The triatomine bug, which can carry the parasite, most often bites a person's face and therefore is more commonly known as the "kissing bug". When a triatomine bug infected with Trypanosoma cruzi bites, it can leave behind infected waste which can be spread into the person's eyes, nose, or a wound. Chagas disease can also spread through contaminated food, a blood transfusion, a donated organ, or from mother to baby during pregnancy. Symptoms may include fever, flu-like symptoms, a rash, or swollen eyelid. Early symptoms usually go away without treatment, but can last a few weeks or months. However, if not treated in the early phase, the parasite can become active again years later. In fact, 20-30% of infected people will later develop serious problems affecting their heart, intestines, or espophagus. This risk is greater for those with a weakened immune system. Chagas disease is common in Latin America, but not in the United States.[1]

The two drugs used to treat Chagas disease are nifurtimox and benznidazole. On August 30, 2017, the FDA approved benznidazole to treat Chagas disease in children between the ages of 2 to 12 years old. Nifurtimox may also used to treat Chagas disease. Although not FDA approved, nifurtimox can be obtained for the treatment of Chagas disease in the United States through special CDC studies. Similarly, benznidazole is also available through special CDC studies for those with Chagas disease whose treatment is deemed necessary by their doctor but whose age falls outside FDA approval.[2]
Last updated: 3/21/2018

Symptoms Symptoms


Listen

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 25 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain
Pain in stomach
Stomach pain
[ more ]
0002027
Arrhythmia
Abnormal heart rate
Heart rhythm disorders
Irregular heart beat
Irregular heartbeat
[ more ]
0011675
Autoimmune antibody positivity 0030057
Cardiomyopathy
Disease of the heart muscle
0001638
Cough
Coughing
0012735
Diarrhea
Watery stool
0002014
Dyspnea
Trouble breathing
0002094
Fever 0001945
Headache
Headaches
0002315
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Localized skin lesion 0011355
Lymphadenopathy
Swollen lymph nodes
0002716
Myalgia
Muscle ache
Muscle pain
[ more ]
0003326
Myocarditis
Inflammation of heart muscle
0012819
Pallor 0000980
Periorbital edema 0100539
Skin rash 0000988
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
Thromboembolism 0001907
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal large intestine physiology 0012700
Achalasia 0002571
Aganglionic megacolon
Enlarged colon lacking nerve cells
0002251
Congestive heart failure
Cardiac failure
Cardiac failures
Heart failure
[ more ]
0001635
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Encephalitis
Brain inflammation
0002383
Peripheral neuropathy 0009830
Showing of 25 |
Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.
Last updated: 1/1/2021
Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Treatment Treatment


Listen

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

  • Benznidazole (Brand name: Benznidazole) - Manufactured by Chemo Research, S.L.
    FDA-approved indication: For use in children ages 2 to 12 years old with Chagas disease
  • Nifurtimox (Brand name: LAMPIT) - Manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals
    FDA-approved indication: Lampit® (nifurtimox) is an antiprotozoal medication indicated for use in pediatric patients (from birth to less than 18 years of age and weighing at least 2.5 kg) for the treatment of Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis) caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi).
    National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal

Research Research


Listen

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Chagas disease. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Organizations Organizations


Listen

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

  • Chagas Disease Foundation
    Website: http://www.chagasfound.org/
Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Learn More Learn More


Listen

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) produces guidelines and standards, helps countries to address public health issues, and supports and promotes health research. The WHO has developed a fact sheet on this condition. 

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Chagas disease. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers


Listen

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • My mother is Brazilian and she has Chagas Disease. I would like to know if it is genetic and the chance that I or my children may have it. See answer


Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References


  1. Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease). Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). May 24, 2016; https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/.
  2. Antiparasitic Treatment. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). August 31, 2017; https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/health_professionals/tx.html.
Do you know of a review article? We want to hear from you.
You can help advance
rare disease research!
You can help advance rare disease research!
toolbox
Find out how with the NCATS Toolkit.

Share this content:

Share this content:

twitter-icon facebook-icon contact-icon link-icons

Copy Link

Link copied to your clipboard.

printer-icon

You May Be Interested In

How to Find a Disease Specialist

How to Find a Disease Specialist

Tips for the Undiagnosed

Tips for the Undiagnosed

Support for Patients and Families

Support for Patients and Families

Tips for Finding Financial Aid

Tips for Finding Financial Aid

Help with Travel Costs

Help with Travel Costs

How to Get Involved in Research

How to Get Involved in Research

FAQs About Chromosome Disorders

FAQs About Chromosome Disorders

Medical and Science Glossaries

Medical and Science Glossaries

Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease

Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease

ICD Coding for Rare Diseases

ICD Coding for Rare Diseases

FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool

FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool

Finding Funding Opportunities

Finding Funding Opportunities

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

placeholder for the horizontal scroll slider Back to top
GARD Home NCATS Home Site Map Browse Glossary A-Z Privacy Notice Disclaimer Accessibility FOIA OIG

If you have problems viewing PDF files, download the latest version of Adobe Reader

For language access assistance, contact the NCATS Public Information Officer

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) - PO Box 8126, Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126 - Toll-free: 1-888-205-2311

contact gard Office of Rare Disease Research Facebook Page Office of Rare Disease Research on Twitter
Listen