THE CHAGAS INITIATIVE IN ARGENTINA: WHO ARE WE

Dr Daniel Hernandez is a recognized and prized specialist in Cardiology who dedicates his daily work to teaching as Head of Department in Internal Medicine, and to research in Chagas Disease. 

In 2010 he was awarded with the Bunge & Born foundation Prize in research for his work with Chagas patients in the Northern rural area of Corrientes, in Argentina. 

Link: 

Bunge & Born foundation prize link.

Since 2011 Dr Daniel Hernandez is working in a specialized consult for patients with Chagas disease.

Links: 

University Authorities

News about Dr. Hernandez

News about the Medical consult

Newspapers

The medical consult is absolutetly free of charge.  He works with the help of a group of colleagues and students, Medicine students that as volunteers help him with the research project in the UNNE Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (North East National University).

The medical consult is also itinerant:  The Chagas Initiative moves to different small villages in the most forgotten and remote rural areas of Argentina.

The resources of the public University are scarce. The research is done in connection with other national and international organizations.  

The tasks include :

work in the field with patients, promoting treatment and prevention of the disease.

Collection of insect specimens of Vinchucas / Kissing bugs and classification of species

Blood sample taking for study and tipification och Tripanosoma Cruzi ( the parasite) and posterior genomic sequenciation of the DNA ( this is done in Buenos Aires ).

Pictures and more Links:

A Kissing Bugs nest in the base of a house med of wood. The insect hides between the lower parts of the house and waits for the time to bite during the night. 

 

Kissing bugs being captured, trying to hide in the holes of a brick.

Kissing bugs eggs

Specimens captured for microscopic examination and classification

if interested in our initiative

Contact and information: 

Dr Daniel Hernandez: drdanhernandez@hotmail.com

Dr Angel Espinosa :drangelespinosa@gmail.com

THE CHAGAS INITIATIVE IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA

Chagas disease is a condition produced by a unicellular parasite, the TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI, which thanks to a complex simulation mechanism can fool the immune system and by this mean introduces itself in the heart cells. 

                                                  microscopic picture of the parasite

By this mean the parasite literally ”eats” a part of the heart muscle, specially the apical part of it, causing a dilatation of the organ that eventually can suffer a rupture and cause an instant death. Among other problems, the parasit can cause also heart blocks, and it makes necessary the implantation of a pacemaker.  It has an enormous cost for the health system in the affected countries.

It can be said in a certain way that Chagas disease is a ”disease of poverty”. The transmitting vector of the parasite  is an insect commonly called ”kissing bug” or in spanish "vinchuca". It habitates  houses with tatched roofs  of people that live in rural environments. The insect usually comes out during the night in the darkness as long as the people sleeps and after it bite  the insect defecates. The parasit is in the insects dejections. The parasite get across the skin thanks to the scratching of the patient.

the kissing bug, a dangerous and silent assasin

A group of recearchers of the NORTHEAST NATIONAL UNIVERSITY in Argentina works hardly to get a better understanding of the mechanisms for the infection and to find a better treatment.

At the same time, This group of doctors, students and nurses makes a constructive and valious social work by helping people who doesn't have resources by advicing on preventive measures, better and earlier diagnosis as well as treatment of the disease.

At present we're creating a networking international group that has initially been called " The Chagas initiative ".

Help us in our struggle for a better world. You can be an important part of this.

The director of the initiative, Dr. Daniel Hernandez, is a professor in Cardiology and Internal medicine at the UNNE (Northeast National Universitiy), one of the most recognized and prestigious universities in Argentina. 

http://www.med.unne.edu.ar/sitio/seccion/11

You are welcome to contact us, and you shall be informed. 

Preliminary contacts can be made via mail to: 
drangelespinosa@gmail.com.