Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates
13:55

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Published on: January 27, 2019

Canine Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis) in North America

Stephen C Barr1

  • 1Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. scb6@cornell.edu

The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Chagas disease in dogs, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, leads to dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. This review covers its causes, spread, and treatment in North American canine populations.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Chagas' disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a significant cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in humans.
  • In North America, canine Chagas' disease is prevalent in working dogs in southeastern Texas.
  • Infection typically occurs through ingestion of infected vectors, leading to organism release in the host's mouth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and available therapies for Chagas' disease in dogs.
  • To provide a comprehensive overview of American trypanosomiasis in canine populations.
  • To highlight key aspects of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on canine Chagas' disease.
  • Synthesis of information on Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs.
  • Compilation of data on disease presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.

Main Results:

  • Canine Chagas' disease is primarily diagnosed in the chronic stage.
  • The disease manifests as dilated cardiomyopathy and malignant ventricular arrhythmias.
  • Infection routes and pathogenesis in dogs are detailed.

Conclusions:

  • Chagas' disease poses a significant threat to canine health, particularly in specific regions.
  • Understanding the disease's progression is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
  • Further research into effective therapies for canine Chagas' disease is warranted.

More Related Videos

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase08:48

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase

Published on: November 5, 2021

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model08:20

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model

Published on: October 27, 2023

Related Concept Videos

American Trypanosomiasis01:22

American Trypanosomiasis

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
Rabies01:28

Rabies

Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever01:26

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...