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Mechanisms of Infection in Chagas Disease

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Trypanosoma cruzi as a Foodborne Pathogen

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Food, Health, and Nutrition ((BRIEFSFOOD))

Abstract

Although regarded primarily as a vectorborne disease, American trypanosomiasis can be transmitted by various mechanisms. These include: cutaneous vector transmission, transfusions, congenital transfer, organ transplantation, laboratory accidents, and oral transmission. In this chapter, we focus particularly on the latter mode of infection. We consider both the mechanism of oral transmission, addressing the question of how the infective agent gains access to the mouth of the human host with food, and also describe and summarize our knowledge on the characteristics of host-parasite interactions in cases of oral transmission. In particular, we consider the extent of parasitemia associated with oral transmission, the results of histological studies in experimental animals, and also more recent molecular and immuno-pathological studies. Understanding these fundamental biological interactions is important in the development of effective treatment strategies, or even the development of prophylactic vaccines.

Of particular importance is that studies indicate that Trypanosoma cruzi seems to be significantly more infectious when transmitted by the oral route, although the severity of infection also depends upon the number of ingested parasites, and various host factors such as the parasitic resistance of the gastrointestinal mucosa, the regulation of invasion by local factors, and the host’s innate immune response.

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  1. Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

    Cecilia Colmenares, Belkisyolé Alarcón de Noya & Oscar Noya González

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  1. Cecilia Colmenares
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  2. Belkisyolé Alarcón de Noya
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  3. Oscar Noya González
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Correspondence to Belkisyolé Alarcón de Noya .

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Colmenares, C., de Noya, B.A., González, O.N. (2015). Mechanisms of Infection in Chagas Disease. In: Trypanosoma cruzi as a Foodborne Pathogen. SpringerBriefs in Food, Health, and Nutrition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23410-6_3

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