Chagas disease is a parasitic disease which occurs in the Americas,
particularly in South America. It is caused by a protozoan named
Trypanosoma cruzi (pictured), which is transmitted to humans and other
mammals primarily by blood-drinking insects of the subfamily
Triatominae. Other forms of transmission are possible, such as ingestion
of food contaminated with T. cruzi, blood transfusion and
maternal–fetal transmission. After an initial stage of infection that
is usually mild or asymptomatic, untreated individuals enter the chronic
phase of the disease. People with chronic Chagas disease may develop
organ dysfunction, which most commonly involves the heart or the
digestive system. Chagas disease can be treated using the antiparasitic
drugs benznidazole and nifurtimox, which are most effective in the early
stage of infection. It is estimated that 6.5 million people worldwide
are living with the disease, and it is responsible for about 9,490
annual deaths.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas_disease>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1842:
The Vienna Philharmonic held its first concert, conducted by
Otto Nicolai.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Philharmonic>
1918:
World War I: British and Australian troops soundly defeated
German forces at the First Battle of Dernancourt in northern France.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Dernancourt>
1942:
Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in occupied France
was disabled by British naval forces.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid>
1979:
British prime minister James Callaghan was defeated by one vote
in a vote of no confidence after his government struggled to cope with
widespread strikes during the Winter of Discontent.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_vote_of_no_confidence_in_the_Callaghan_ministry>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
atompunk:
(science fiction) A subgenre of speculative fiction, based on the
society and technology of the Atomic Age (c. 1945–1965).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/atompunk>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by
those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or
who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine
--J. K. Rowling
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling>
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