Pathogenicity of Chagas Disease Cardiopathy - Abstract
Chagas disease is a protozoonoses caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. After
chronification, human infection may present with several clinical manifestations, ranging
from asymptomatic disease to severe cardiomyopathy. Currently, it is estimated that
about 7 million people are infected, of which approximately 30% develop heart
disease. Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the main cause of morbidity and
mortality in Chagas patients. CCC presents with particular characteristics, such as
extensive fibrosis, thromboembolism, arrhythmogenicity, destruction of the intrinsic
cardiac nervous system, microvascular alterations, and sudden death. Here we present
an overview of cardiomyopathy in Chagas disease.