Health authorities are warning about the growing spread of Chagas disease in the United States, with most cases reported in California.
A new study published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases confirmed human infections in eight states, prompting researchers to call for the illness to be officially classified as “endemic.”
“Acknowledging the endemicity of Chagas disease in the United States is crucial for achieving global health goals,” the study’s authors wrote.
The CDC defines an endemic disease as one that has a “constant presence and/or usual prevalence” in a particular region, essentially representing the baseline level of infection in a community.
“Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis) is already endemic in South America and Central America, but it has now spread to the Southern U.S., where it is taking hold among insects and animals,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Chagas is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted by triatomine insects, often referred to as “kissing bugs.”
Transmission occurs when feces from an infected bug enter the body through a bite wound or by coming into contact with the eyes or mouth, according to the CDC.
“When the kissing bug takes a blood meal, it will eventually defecate and leave the feces somewhere,” explained lead study author Dr. Norman Beatty, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“Sometimes it can ‘poop’ on our skin or mucous membrane while feeding, and then the parasite enters at that site. The bug’s feces can also end up inside or near a home and then be incidentally ingested or rubbed into the skin or mucous membrane.”
Other possible transmission routes in the U.S. include congenital infection, where a mother passes the parasite to her unborn child, or through organ transplants, Beatty noted.
The disease begins with an acute phase shortly after infection, followed by a chronic stage that can last for decades, according to the CDC.
Not everyone develops symptoms, but for those who do, they may include fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, or a rash.
“Chagas can lead to fever, fatigue, rash, body aches and lymph node swelling, and later can lead to digestive issues, heart problems and neurological involvement,” Siegel warned.
A distinct sign of infection is swelling of one eyelid, known as Romaña’s sign.
In the chronic stage, 20% to 30% of patients may go on to suffer from potentially fatal heart disease or severe digestive complications, the CDC reports.
An estimated 300,000 people are living with Chagas disease acquired either in Latin America or within the U.S., Beatty said.
“However, the exact number is unknown — a national prevalence study has never been conducted,” he told Fox News Digital.
The risk is higher in areas where kissing bugs live near human dwellings, particularly in California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
“What really matters is whether the kissing bug has been found invading homes and harbors the parasite that causes Chagas disease in a particular region,” Beatty explained, noting that current research is “just tipping the iceberg” in terms of understanding U.S. cases.
“Unfortunately, most of the United States is unaware of this ‘silent killer’ and the fact that it is spread by a bug,” he said.
“Our first steps are recognizing that this is an endemic infectious disease, building on improved education among the public and healthcare providers, and allocating funding for research and programs to support testing and additional monitoring.”
Beatty classified Chagas as a “neglected tropical disease.”
“Our hope as a team researching Chagas here in the U.S. is that we bring awareness to the fact that this infectious disease is being transmitted here and can be deadly,” he told Fox News Digital. “More research and resources are needed so we can help mitigate transmission to at-risk communities, especially those living in rural and agricultural sectors.”
Most people, he said, are bitten by kissing bugs inside their own homes.
“From there, a person will reach out with a picture of that bug, and we start the process of testing and educating on how to prevent the insect from getting in the home and deterring it from wanting to be around a human dwelling.”
While lab testing and treatment are available, many doctors are unfamiliar with Chagas and may not realize it is circulating in their communities.
Currently, two antiparasitic drugs—Benznidazole and Lampit (nifurtimox)—are approved for treatment in the U.S.
“Currently, there is a clinical trial being conducted to assess a new agent for the treatment of Chagas at certain centers in the U.S. and Latin America,” Beatty added.
There is no vaccine to prevent infection.
Patients in rural America often struggle to find doctors who understand the illness, Beatty noted.
“In my clinic, people have traveled from other states to see me in Florida just because they have no one else near them willing to care for them,” he said.
“It is essential that we start educating our future clinicians about Chagas disease and ways to test, treat and manage those infected.”
Beatty also outlined steps to keep kissing bugs out of homes.
He advised eliminating “harborages” for rodents and other nesting animals, such as woodpiles or clutter near houses.
Sealing cracks around doors and windows and installing screens can also reduce the risk.
He further recommended “judicial use” of residual pesticide sprays at entry points like door frames and window edges.
{Matzav.com}
