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Travelers to Panama City, Panama as a rule do not need to worry about catching tropical diseases. Panama has an active public health system, sprays for insects, and closely monitors the incidence of tropical diseases. Nevertheless there are a number of tropical diseases that travelers and Panama residents should be aware of. One of these is Chagas’ disease. A little knowledge, a mosquito net for sleeping, and a lot of bug spray would be good things if you are going to visit poor areas of Panama City or the interior of Panama.

Panama

Panama is the narrowest point in the Americas. It is the site of the Panama Canal where the trip between Atlantic and Pacific takes eight hours. Panama’s tropical rain forests and white sandy beaches on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts have attracted tourists and immigrants for years. Besides its natural beauty Panama has the best roads, airports, ports, and telecommunications in Latin America. Panama is in the midst of an economic and real estate boom. Tropical diseases such as Chagas’ disease are primarily a problem for those who travel to or live in poor urban areas or the interior of Panama.

Chagas’ Disease in Panama

Named for the Brazilian physician who first described it, Chagas’ disease is a tropical parasitic disease also called American trypanosomiasis after the parasite that causes the disease (Trypanosoma cruzi). This infection is most commonly passed person to person by the assassin or kissing bug but may also be spread through blood transfusion and organ transplantation, eating food contaminated with the parasites, and at birth from a mother to her baby.

The infection is carried by the feces of the bug and enters the body because the person scratches the bug bite. A local swelling may occur where the bite and scratching takes place. Otherwise early symptoms are mild and “flu” like. Rarely heart or brain infection occurs in the early stage. It is the late or second stage symptoms that matter in Chagas’ disease. The list of problems seen in the second phase of Chagas’ disease include damage to the heart and aorta, damage to the intestinal tract and damage to the nervous system including dementia.

Chagas’ Disease Diagnosis

The problem in diagnosis for Panama travelers is that roughly thirty percent of cases have a second stage. The Panama traveler will have returned home, sometimes years or decades, before secondary symptoms occur.

According to the CDC Fact Book Chagas’ disease can be diagnosed with a blood test.

Chagas’ Disease Treatment and Panama Travel

Treatment of the early phase of Chagas’ disease is with a specific antibiotic. Treatment of the second phase problems is repair of injured organs.

Prevention of Chagas’ Disease for Travelers in Panama

Travelers sleeping in poor rural areas of Panama need to use mosquito netting and insect repellant. In addition well cooked food in sanitary conditions is highly recommended.

There is no vaccination for Chagas’ disease.

Blood Transfusions

Chagas’ disease can be passed in a blood transfusion. If you are obtaining health care in Panama City the care is pretty advanced and the blood supply is monitored. For those submitting to elective surgery autologous (self) transfusion is a good option.

Summary

Travelers to Panama are unlikely to catch any tropical diseases including Chagas’ disease. Travelers in Panama who sleep in rural, poor, or unsanitary conditions need to use a mosquito net and lots of insect repellant. Panama travelers need to eat well cooked food prepared under sanitary conditions. If you return home and are worried about having contacted Chagas disease you can ask your physician to test your blood.