Chagas disease, once thought to be special to Latin America, is today spreading across the United States, and it’s doing so quietly.
The culprit is a creepy little insect called the kissing bug, a blood-sucking parasite carrier that lives in cracked walls and even dog kennels in southern states like Texas, California, and Florida. The parasite it carries, Trypanosoma cruzi, causes Chagas disease, which can lead to serious heart and digestive issues. The scariest part? Most people don’t even know they’re infected until years later.
Health experts say over 300,000 people may already be living with the disease in the U.S., and most have never been tested or diagnosed. “This isn’t imported — this is local.”
States like Texas have confirmed dozens of locally acquired human cases, and kissing bugs carrying the parasite have been found in over 30 states.
The infection spreads when the kissing bug bites a person at night, then defecates near the wound. If the parasite enters the bloodstream, it can lie dormant for years before causing symptoms like heart failure or intestinal damage.
What’s especially concerning: Black and Brown communities are at higher risk due to special access to healthcare and low disease awareness in affected areas.
Animal studies show that even family dogs can carry the disease, creating another layer of exposure for households. And while the CDC has tracked these bugs for years, the disease is still not on most doctors’ radar.
As calls grow louder to reclassify the U.S. as endemic for Chagas, public health experts are urging people to get informed, especially those in high-risk areas.
Chagas may be creeping in silently, but staying quiet about it won’t help.
Discover more from Baller Alert
Subscribe to get the up-to-date posts sent to your email.
About the Author
