A 35-year-old man from South America is found to have incidental bilateral adrenal calcification on CT scan. He has a history of chronic Chagas diseas...

Question

A 35-year-old man from South America is found to have incidental bilateral adrenal calcification on CT scan. He has a history of chronic Chagas disease with dilated cardiomyopathy. What immunological mechanism underlies the chronic tissue damage in Chagas disease?

Accepted Answer

Autoimmune destruction of cardiac and gastrointestinal tissues triggered by molecular mimicry between T. cruzi antigens and host proteins

Answer

Direct toxin-mediated cell death by parasite secretions

Answer

Immune complex deposition in vessel walls

Answer

Superantigen-mediated T-cell activation

Answer

Complement-mediated lysis of parasitised cells

uk-dtmh MCQ (SBA): Chagas Disease Immunopathology

A 35-year-old man from South America is found to have incidental bilateral adrenal calcification on CT scan. He has a history of chronic Chagas disease with dilated cardiomyopathy. What immunological mechanism underlies the chronic tissue damage in Chagas disease?