Question

What is the average incubation period of Chagas’ disease? What are some signs and symptoms of the acute phase of Chagas’ disease?

Answer 1

Chagas disease is an infectious disease caused by a parasite found in the faeces of the triatomine bug.

The incubation period of vector-borne acute Chagas disease is thought to be 7-14 days

The acute phase lasts for the first few weeks or months of infection. It usually occurs unnoticed because it is symptom-free or mild symptoms can be told including fever, fatigue, body aches, muscle pain, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The signs include mild enlargement of the liver or spleen, swollen glands, and local swelling (a chagoma) where the parasite entered the body.

The most recognized marker of acute Chagas disease is called Romaña's sign, which includes swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug feces were deposited or accidentally rubbed into the eye.