American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease) and the skin (For professionals)

• Synonyms: Chagas Disease, Portugueuse (Português): doença de Chagas, barbeiro. Spanish (Español): enfermedad de Chagas-Mazza, mal de Chagas, vinchuca, pito, chinche, chipo, chupança, chinchorro.

• Also called Chagas’s disease, it is a protozoan infection transmitted through an triatomine insect bite (“kissing bugs”). It is prevalent from the south of the USA to South America and infects up to 10 million people.

• It produces initially local swelling on the biten skin (Chagoma). Around the eyes this deposit of  faeces of the bug (right after feeding !) causes rubbing and subsequent eyelid swelling (Romana’s sign) and it responds to anti-parasitic treatments.
• While the disease can remain asymtomatic, around 30% develop a chronic phase of the infection which can lead to Cardiovascular and Digestive disease and subsequent death. Cutaneous manifestations include disseminated subcutaneous nodules and various skin rashes.

Bibliography: Wikipedia (Italic)