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

_______________________________ 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

_____________________________ 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

___________________________ 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