Oct. 6, 2025—If you haven't heard of Chagas' disease yet, it's worth having on your radar. According to the World Health Organization, most of the 7 million people infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (the parasite that causes Chagas' disease) are in Central and South America. But according to a recent report in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journal, it may be time to consider Chagas' disease a problem in the U.S. too.
Why? The parasite that causes Chagas' disease is usually spread by triatomine insects—nicknamed "kissing bugs." (They earned the nickname because they often bite people's faces.) Less often, the disease can spread through food or drink contaminated with the parasite, through blood transfusions, or from a pregnant mother to her child.
In the past, Chagas' disease was considered a risk only when traveling to South or Central America. But kissing bugs are found across the southern United States. A September 2025 report in Emerging Infectious Diseases warned that these bugs have been found to infect people and animals, including pets, with the parasite. While it's not common, humans have been infected in:
- Arizona.
- Arkansas.
- California.
- Louisiana.
- Mississippi.
- Missouri.
- Tennessee.
- Texas.
Chagas' disease can be treated. Medicines are available both to manage symptoms and to kill the parasite that causes the disease. But treatment works best when it starts early. That means it's important to know the symptoms—and let your doctor know if you suspect you might have Chagas' disease.
Recognize the signs
Chagas' disease has two stages. In the acute phase (the first weeks or months after infection), symptoms can be mild—or absent. When they do occur, they include:
- Fever.
- Tiredness and body aches.
- Headache and rash.
- Loss of appetite, diarrhea or vomiting.
- A swollen eyelid.
Chagas' disease also has a chronic stage, which can last for decades or even a lifetime. Most people won't notice any symptoms. But, CDC reports, about 20% or 30% of people develop serious heart or digestive problems, such as:
- An enlarged heart.
- Heart failure.
- Changes to the heart's rhythm or heart rate.
- Enlarged esophagus or colon, which makes eating or bowel movements difficult.
In some cases, these problems can lead to sudden death.
What to do
Chagas' disease is still rare in the United States. But if you think you've been bitten by a kissing bug or you think you might be infected, it's important to let your doctor know.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About Chagas' Disease." https://www.cdc.gov/chagas/about/index.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "How Chagas' Disease Spreads." https://www.cdc.gov/chagas/spreads/index.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Preventing Chagas' Disease." https://www.cdc.gov/chagas/prevention/index.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Treatment of Chagas' Disease." https://www.cdc.gov/chagas/treatment/index.html.
- Emerging Infectious Diseases. "Chagas' Disease, an Endemic Disease in the United States." https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/9/24-1700_article.
- MedlinePlus. "Chagas' Disease." https://medlineplus.gov/chagasdisease.html.
- World Health Organization. "Chagas' Disease (Also Known as American Trypanosomiasis)." https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chagas-disease-(american-trypanosomiasis).