Modulation of apoptotic pathways by Trypanosoma cruzi and its relationship with the progression of heart disease in the host

Chagas disease, a parasitic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people worldwide, and South American countries are among the most affected. This disease has a clinical course that varies from the acute asymptomatic phase to the chronic phase with the presence of important alterations that compromise the cardiac and digestive systems. Studies have shown that the life cycle of the parasite impacts on the modulation of apoptosis, revealing a complex pathogen-host interaction that can substantially influence the development of cardiac alterations. This intriguing strategy used by Trypanosoma cruzi has been increasingly explored and thus it is expected to be able to better clarify the events that precede the development of chagasic cardiomyopathy.