Darwin’s disease — Sometimes used to refer to Chagas’ disease on the assumption that Charles Darwin suffered and died from Chagas’ disease; discussed in Chapter 1.
defecation time — The length of time after the triatomine bug feeds until it defecates. An important index, because certain triatomine species, such as
disease burden — Refers to productive years that a worker loses because of a certain disease or disability; also known as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Chagas’ disease is very high in this regard, because many workers die young from it; moreover, children are left without parents.
electrocardiogram — A record of the electrical activity of the heart that provides important information concerning the spread of excitation to different parts of the heart. It is valuable for Chagas’ disease treatment in that it detects abnormal cardiac rhythm and myocardial damage.
endemic — The continuous presence of a disease in a region for long periods of time. Chagas’ disease is endemic in most of Bolivia.
entomologist — One who studies insects; medical entomologists study insects and their relationship to human diseases.
epidemic — An infectious disease that attacks many people at the same time in the same geographical area.
epidemiology — The study of the various factors relating to the transmission, distribution, prevalence, and incidence of disease. This study attempts to explain or anticipate an outbreak of disease. See cultural epidemiology.
epimastigotes — A transformative stage of
flagellate protozoa — Protozoa having a flagellum, such as
flagellum — A whiplike extension attached to the parasite’s membrane that propels the organism by undulating along its side and at certain life stages extending forward from its prow, making parasites agile swimmers and intruders into cells. The flagellum may also be used to attach to the insect’s gut wall or salivary glands.
gentian violet — A dye used to destroy trypomastigotes in blood supplies.
hematophagous insects — Insects that live off blood.
host — The organism from which a parasite obtains its nourishment. Hosts in Chagas’ disease include mammals, some other animals, and humans. Hosts refer to organisms where the parasite is infective and primarily reproduces. See vector.
house improvement committees (HICs) — The functional units at the community level in the PBCM project where plans and priorities for house improvements were decided and where all participatory activities were coordinated.
house infestation — Refers to the number of triatomine insects found in a house.
hypoxia — High-altitude stress from decreased oxygen.
ileostomy — Excision of the ileum.
immune system — The defensive protective reaction of the body to substances that are foreign or are interpreted as being foreign.
immunization — The process of rendering a patient immune to, or protecting individuals from developing, certain diseases.
immunocompetence — Being capable of developing an antigenic response to stimulation by an antigen.
immunodeficiency — The decreased or compromised ability to respond to antigenic stimuli, which may be caused by malnutrition and diseases such as AIDS.
Immunoglobin G (IgG) — Antibody involved in the secondary immune response.
Immunoglobin M (IgM) — Antibody involved in the primary immune response.
immunopathic medicine — The practice of ways to build up the immune system and to help it deal with organisms within and outside it.
Inca empire — An early Andean civilization that flourished between 1275 and 1532 and spread across the Andes from Chile to Ecuador, with its capital in Cuzco, Peru. Quechua was the lingua franca. Chagas’ disease likely was present during these times, as indicated by an Inca mummy in which
infection — The condition resulting when a pathogen (e.g.,
infestation — The presence of insect vectors in a given location.
instar — The period between the five nymph stages in the life of triatomines, or
interdisciplinary approach — A developmental approach that includes the biomedical perspective as well as cultural, economic, environmental, and social factors involved in Chagas’ disease.
intradomiciliaryWithin the house; in Bolivia this includes bedrooms, kitchen, and storage areas.
Kallawayas — An Andean ethnic group of approximately 15,000 people who live in northwestern Bolivia within the Province Bautista Saavedra. They speak both Aymara and Quechua and are noted for their pharmacopeia of medicinal plants and herbs.
latent Chagas’ — An asymptomatic stage of Chagas’ disease. Latent Chagas’ presents several possibilities: 1) the infection is arrested at this stage; 2) it develops later to late latent Chagas’ with minor clinical findings; and 3) it develops into classic indeterminate Chagas’ disease.
macrolevel processes — Larger units of social analysis, such as the nation, international community, and environment, affecting diseases.
macrophages — Cells capable of destroying particular substances within early stages of the immune reaction.
matrilateral cross-cousin marriage — A marriage-exchange system in which children marry their mother’s brother’s children.
matrilineal — A lineage-descent group in which children belong to their mother’s group.
megasyndromes — Enlarged organs, usually heart (megacardia), esophagus (megaesophagus), and colon
