Is Chagas disease in North America?

Chagas disease is common in parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America where an estimated 8 million people are infected.

How common is Chagas disease in USA?

More than 5 million people worldwide have Chagas disease. In the United States, there are estimated to be at least 300,000 cases of chronic Chagas disease among people originally from countries of Latin America where Chagas disease is endemic.

Is Chagas disease in the US?

Chagas disease is a life-threatening parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). It is endemic through much of the Americas, from the southern United States to Argentina and Chile.

Are there kissing bugs in North America?

Most of the world’s kissing bugs are in Central and South America and Mexico. They’ve also been found in the United States in the lower 28 states, with higher concentrations in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Kissing bugs have been spotted a far north as Delaware, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Is Chagas curable?

Today Chagas disease is treatable. Therapy is highly effective if given during the acute phase of the disease and less effective when administered during the chronic phase. This is why early diagnosis is so important.

Is Chagas disease in Florida?

Infected triatomine bugs and infected reservoirs, such as raccoons, have been identified in Florida. However, the risk of local transmission to people in Florida is low. There have been cases of local transmission in Texas, Tennessee, California, and Louisiana.

Are there kissing bugs in the United States?

Kissing bugs are found throughout the Americas. In the United States, kissing bugs are found in 29 states. Eleven different kinds of kissing bugs are in the United States. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona are the states with the most different species and most findings of kissing bugs.

Is Chagas disease serious?

It is estimated that as many as 8 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America have Chagas disease, most of whom do not know they are infected. If untreated, infection is lifelong and can be life threatening.