rida
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A 14 year old boy just moved with his family from Brazil to the US. He starts complaining of shortness of breath and palpitation. Chest xray film demonstrates pulmonary congestions and ECG shows alterations in heart rhythm. Echocardiography reveals biventricular dilatation with massive cardiac enlargement. An endomyocardial biopsy shows diffuse interstitial fibrosis, myocyte necrosis, chronic inflammation, and the presence of intracellular protozoan parasites. The patient may also develop which of the following complications?
A) Achalasia
B)Chronic arthritis
C)Cysts in the brain
D)Pleuritis
E)Splenomegaly
What is the causative agent?
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| Idiopathic
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The answer is achalasia, and the causative agent is Trypanosoma cruzi, or American Chagas' disease.
This disease can cause a myocarditis, achalasia/Hirschprung's, and also a syphilitic-type of aortic dissection, I believe (?).
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| rida
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Exactly Rite
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