What Is Chagas Disease?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
2. Trypanosoma Cruzi
Chagas disease is caused by a tiny parasite known as Trypanosoma cruzi. The parasite feeds on the blood and lymph of its host. Once its host has been affected, then the parasite will begin to multiply in numbers. When their population is high enough, the presence can begin to cause problems for their host.
The same parasite is able to infect different animals, causing a different disease in each one. There are also different species of Trypanosoma which can also cause potentially dangerous diseases in people, including African sleeping sickness. The parasite tends to be transmitted to a new host by a bite from the triatomine bug.
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