Your health is our top priority at AdventHealth, and we’re committed to keeping you updated on the latest news about infectious diseases like Chagas disease so you can take smart steps to keep yourself and your family safe.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted the growing prevalence of Chagas disease in the southern United States, where health authorities don’t typically document it. The CDC’s report called for the disease to be recognized as endemic to the U.S. (regularly occurring), which would increase public awareness and understanding of the disease, foster more clinical research and improve treatment efforts overall.
As Chagas disease makes headlines, we’ll help you stay informed and empowered. Let’s walk through the basics of this disease, how to prevent it and where to go for the right medical care.
What Is Chagas Disease?
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Triatomine insects, often called kissing bugs, can carry this parasite and spread it to animals and people. Kissing bugs may bite a person near the mouth — hence their nickname — while they’re sleeping and leave droppings containing the T. cruzi parasite. A person becomes infected with Chagas disease when the feces are unknowingly wiped into the bite, eyes, nose or mouth.
People typically don’t know a kissing bug has bitten them and may never experience Chagas disease symptoms. The disease can cause serious health concerns over time and can be life-threatening without proper medical care. Chagas disease can’t be passed through casual contact between people; it spreads from person to person through organ transplants, blood transfusions and from pregnant people to their babies.
The T. cruzi parasite is typically found in rural areas of Latin America, including Mexico and Central and South America. Chagas disease is common in 21 countries in the Americas (excluding the United States). Recently, kissing bugs have been found in 32 U.S. states, most frequently in the warmer southern states. The CDC has reported Chagas disease in eight states, with Texas seeing the most cases.
What Are the Symptoms of Chagas Disease?
Chagas disease has two phases. Some people never experience symptoms in either phase, while others may initially experience flu-like symptoms and develop more health complications later.
During the acute phase, or the first few weeks after infection, Chagas disease symptoms can include:
- Body aches
- Diarrhea
- Eyelid swelling, called Romaña’s sign
- Fever
- Headaches
- Little to no appetite
- Rash
- Swelling or redness at the site of the bite
- Tiredness
- Vomiting
Without treatment, people enter the chronic phase, a long-term infection that can last for years. The CDC estimates that only 20 to 30% of people with untreated Chagas disease develop complications like:
- Digestive issues affecting the esophagus (trouble swallowing) and colon (trouble using the bathroom)
- Heart concerns like enlarged heart tissue, irregular heartbeat, heart failure and an increased risk of death from a heart attack
Clinical researchers and health care providers across the country are working to raise awareness of what Chagas disease does to a person so that more people can get diagnosed and treated during the early stage. Since Chagas disease can have some of the same symptoms as the flu and other common illnesses, it’s important to take your symptoms seriously and talk to a health care provider if you don’t feel well.
Getting the Right Care for Chagas Disease
Even if you haven’t traveled to or live in parts of the Americas where Chagas disease cases are rising, it’s good to know what to do if bitten by a kissing bug. If you’re worried that you or a family member might have Chagas disease, don’t hesitate to get medical care nearby. Your primary care provider or an urgent care doctor can diagnose or rule out Chagas disease by doing a lab test that looks for the parasite in a small blood sample.
What Is the Treatment for Chagas Disease?
When caught early, Chagas disease can be cured with antiparasitic medicines like benznidazole and nifurtimox, which kill the T. cruzi parasite. These medications can still be used after the acute stage of the infection, but they may not be as effective. If Chagas disease goes untreated, it can’t be cured, but your health care provider can still treat the symptoms and complications.
How Can Chagas Disease Be Prevented?
Taking preventive measures around your home and when you travel can help reduce the likelihood of getting Chagas disease.
At home, you can keep kissing bugs at bay by:
- Repairing holes or tears in screens on doors and windows
- Sealing any gaps and cracks around doors, windows, roofs and walls
- Sealing attic or crawl-space entrances
If you’re visiting a rural area where Chagas disease has been reported, the CDC recommends:
- Avoiding eating salads, raw veggies, unpeeled fruits and unpasteurized fruit juices
- Sleeping under a bed net
- Spraying long-lasting insecticides around the residence
- Staying in air-conditioned and screened hotels or homes
- Using bug spray on exposed skin
- Wearing long pants and sleeves
Since Chagas disease can’t be prevented with a vaccine or a medication, taking these steps is key.
Your Partner in Protecting Your Health
Keeping you safe means everything to us at AdventHealth. Count on us to keep you updated on infectious diseases like Chagas disease and how to prevent them, and rest assured that our primary care providers are always ready to take care of you and your family if you’re not feeling well. No matter when or how you need us, we’ll be here with proven treatments, uncommon compassion and wholehearted support for your body, mind and spirit.
