RESUMO
American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease is predominantly a vector-borne multisystemic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite transmitted by triatomine bugs in endemic areas such as Mexico and Central and South America. Acute T. cruzi infection is mostly asymptomatic, nonetheless, in up to one-third of the patients, a mild form of the disease can be present, with nonspecific manifestations like fever, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, inflammation at the inoculation site (inoculation chancre) and unilateral palpebral edema (Romaña sign). Severe acute disease occurs in less than 1% of patients and includes myopericarditis and meningoencephalitis. If untreated, the acute phase can cause chronicity with cardiac and gastrointestinal involvement. We report the case of a female with occupational exposure to this parasite, who presented with acute myopericarditis, a rare form of presentation of this disease.
