A new study says Chagas, the “kissing bug disease,” should be considered endemic in the U.S after finding it in eight states.
Most Americans have not even heard of Chagas disease, yet an estimated 288,000 people in the United States are infected—many without knowing it. Also known as the kissing bug disease, it is caused by a parasite in the triatomine bug (or kissing bug). The disease is prevalent in Mexico as well as Central and South America, making it a concern for travelers to those regions.
Recently, a group of researchers published a report to increase awareness among Americans.
What Is the Kissing Bug Disease?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that Chagas disease is caused by triatomine bugs, commonly referred to as kissing bugs. These bugs carry a parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, which can be transmitted to humans if they are bitten. Kissing bugs suck blood from people’s faces—hence their name—and may even defecate near the bite, allowing fecal matter to enter an individual’s body through the nose, eyes, or mouth.
Although rare, someone can also become infected through blood transfusion or mother-to-baby transmission. Triatomine bugs are also commonly found on mammals, including dogs, though there are no recorded cases of transmission from pets.
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The risk of infection in the United States is low. Chagas disease is not contagious from person to person, but the bugs are found in 32 states, and local transmission has been noted in eight states. Globally, approximately 8 million people are affected by Chagas disease, with an estimated 288,000 cases in the United States.
Symptoms are generally mild—fatigue, headache, fever, eyelid swelling—and may resolve on their own. The disease is rarely caught shortly after infection because symptoms often go unnoticed. However, around 20% to 30% of people develop serious complications such as heart issues (enlarged heart) and digestive problems (enlarged colon). Most Americans who discover they have Chagas disease do so when donating blood.
These bugs are active at night and can live indoors. They also infect dogs, possums, and raccoons. If your neighborhood has seen cases, install door screens and seal all cracks. When traveling in regions where Chagas disease is prevalent, stay in air-conditioned or screened hotel rooms. Use long-lasting insecticides in your living areas and apply bug spray. Wearing long-sleeved clothing is also recommended. The CDC advises against eating raw vegetables and fruits in certain areas.
There are currently no vaccines to prevent the disease. Chagas disease can be treated with antiparasitic medications that kill the parasite, but these drugs are less effective the longer someone has been infected.
Awareness Needed
A new report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the CDC, calls for the disease to be recognized as endemic in the United States. Currently, Chagas disease is considered endemic to 21 countries in the Americas, excluding the United States, though the country is seeing an increasing number of cases. The kissing bug disease has been reported in eight states: California, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
The report notes that the disease is underrecognized, and its nonendemic status has resulted in low awareness and ineffective disease management. “Recognizing Chagas disease as endemic to the United States would ideally help increase funding agencies’ investment in research toward improved diagnostics and treatment and, perhaps more critically, would support local public health agencies in obtaining resources needed to educate communities, report cases, and prevent new infections,” it states.
According to the CDC, endemic refers to the “constant presence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographical area.”