MADRID, SPAIN – 2025/05/09: Panstrongylus megistus displayed in Faunia zoo. Panstrongylus megistus is a blood-drinking insect in the subfamily Triatominae, is an important vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. (Photo by
Chagas disease, also known as the “kissing bug” disease, is spreading across the United States, and some researchers believe it should now be classified as endemic.
What we know:
Human cases of the deadly disease have been reported in eight states, including Texas, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas.
However, the blood-sucking insects that cause Chagas disease have been found in 32 states over the past decade.
In a report published last month for the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, researchers argued that Chagas disease should be considered endemic in the U.S.
What does endemic mean?
A disease is endemic if it regularly occurs within a certain area or community.
It’s different from an epidemic, which describes a sudden increase in the number of cases, or a pandemic, which has spread throughout several countries or continents.
What they’re saying:
“Labeling the United States as non–Chagas disease–endemic perpetuates low awareness and underreporting,” researchers stated in the CDC report. “The Classification of Chagas disease as endemic, in particular as hypoendemic, to the United States could improve surveillance, research, and public health responses.”
The deadly disease is already endemic to 21 countries in the Americas.
What is Chagas disease?
Dig deeper:
Chagas disease is a potentially deadly disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites, which is carried by triatomine or “kissing bugs.”
If the “kissing bug” sucks the blood of an infected host, then it becomes a carrier and can pass the parasite through its feces.
MADRID, SPAIN – 2025/05/09: Panstrongylus megistus displayed in Faunia zoo. Panstrongylus megistus is a blood-drinking insect in the subfamily Triatominae, is an important vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. (Photo by
The CDC says about 8 million people globally, including an estimated 280,000 in the United States, have the disease without knowing it.
Chagas disease can be life-threatening without proper treatment.
Symptoms and treatments
What you can do:
Health officials say Chagas disease has two stages; the acute phase and the chronic phase.
The acute phase happens in the first weeks and months after getting infected, and could include these symptoms:
- Fever
- Feeling tired
- Body aches
- Headache
- Rash
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Eyelid swelling
The chronic phase can last many years, or the rest of your life, without any symptoms. However, the CDC says about 20–30 % of those infected can develop some serious health issues:
- Heart issues, such as an enlarged heart, heart failure, altered heart rate or rhythm, or sudden death.
- Digestive problems, such as an enlarged esophagus or colon, leading to trouble eating or going to the bathroom.
Treatment for Chagas disease includes antiparasitic and symptomatic methods.
Antiparasitic treatment uses medication to kill the parasite that causes the disease, while symptomatic treatment helps manage the symptoms and signs of the infection.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
