02376nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260004400042653002000086653002200106653001900128653001400147653001900161653002700180653002800207653001800235653003900253653002500292100001900317245011200336856026000448300000900708520141700717       2025                            d  c06/2025bUva Clinical Research Lab 202510aChagas' disease10aTrypanosoma cruzi10aCardiomyopathy10amegacolon10aVector control10aInterprofessional care10aDiagnosis, Differential10aLatin America10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aAnti-parasitic drugs1 aKarunarathna I00aChagas Disease: Differential Diagnosis, Prognostic Stratification, Complications, and Management Strategies  uhttps://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/123158412/Chagas_Disease_Differential_Diagnosis_Prognostic_Stratification_Complications_and_Management_Strategies-libre.pdf?1749243691=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DChagas_Disease_Differential_Dia  a1-203 a<p>Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, presents a diagnostic challenge due to its protean manifestations that mimic several other systemic disorders. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the differential diagnoses that must be considered during both acute and chronic phases, including infectious, cardiac, neurological, and gastrointestinal mimics. Prognostic outcomes are strongly influenced by the timing of diagnosis and therapeutic intervention, with early identification in the acute phase offering a more favorable prognosis compared to the chronic form, where irreversible cardiomyopathy and gastrointestinal complications predominate. The most significant complications include congestive heart failure, megacolon, and megaesophagus, with rarer manifestations such as meningoencephalitis and cerebral abscesses posing additional diagnostic dilemmas. Effective care requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including infectious disease specialists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, nurses, pharmacists, and public health professionals. Prevention through community education, vector control, and blood screening, alongside healthcare worker training, remains paramount. This article synthesizes evidence-based approaches to enhance diagnosis, treatment adherence, patient education, and long-term care, ultimately reducing the burden of this neglected tropical disease.</p>