Recent headlines have highlighted a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning about the “kissing bug” and the potentially fatal illness it can spread: Chagas disease. Science news outlets have reported that cases and detections are “on the rise,” prompting understandable concern. The reality is nuanced. Kissing bugs (triatomine insects) are well established in parts of the southern United States, and Chagas disease is increasingly recognized by clinicians and public health agencies. While the majority of US infections have historically been acquired in Latin America, limited local transmission has been documented in the US, and climate, travel, and housing conditions can influence risk.

Here’s what to know about the disease, how it spreads, where the bugs are found, who is most at risk, and practical steps to protect people and pets—based on guidance from the CDC and vector-borne disease experts.

What is Chagas disease?

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It’s a potentially serious illness that can progress silently for years. Many people never develop symptoms, but others can experience life‑threatening heart or digestive complications later in life.

In the Americas, the parasite is primarily transmitted by triatomine insects—commonly called kissing bugs—that feed on blood. Infection typically occurs when the insect’s parasite‑containing feces enter the body through a bite site, a skin break, or the eyes or mouth.

How Chagas spreads

• Contact with infected triatomine feces near a bite or mucous membranes (most common in endemic regions)
• From mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth (congenital transmission)
• Via blood transfusion or organ transplantation if screening fails
• Rarely, by eating food or drink contaminated with triatomine feces (reported in Latin America)
• Laboratory accidents or handling of infected insects/animals

Important: The parasite is not injected by the bug’s bite itself. Contamination occurs when feces are rubbed into skin or eyes after a bite.

Where are kissing bugs found in the US?

Multiple species of triatomine insects are established across the southern half of the United States, with detections from California and Arizona across Texas and the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas and as far north as parts of the Mid‑Atlantic. Reports have expanded over time due to both changing environments and improved surveillance.

These insects are most active in warmer months and are attracted to lights at night. Around homes, they may hide in woodpiles, under porches, in dog kennels, chicken coops, rodent nests, and cracks in walls or foundations. Wildlife and domestic dogs can serve as reservoirs for the parasite.

While the bugs are present in many states, the overall risk of acquiring Chagas disease within the US remains low compared to endemic areas in Latin America. Nevertheless, sporadic locally acquired human cases have been documented, particularly in the south.

Why are we hearing more about it now?

• Better detection: Blood donor screening and increased clinical testing have identified more infections that previously went unnoticed.
• Awareness: Public health alerts and media coverage have improved recognition among clinicians and the public.
• Ecology and climate: Warmer temperatures, changing habitats, and urban–wildlife interfaces can influence triatomine distributions and contact with people and pets.
• Population mobility: Movement of people between endemic regions and the US contributes to diagnosed cases, many of which were acquired abroad.

In short, “on the rise” often reflects growing recognition and surveillance rather than a sudden nationwide surge in locally transmitted infections. Even so, vigilance is warranted in at‑risk regions.

Signs and symptoms

Acute phase (weeks to months after infection)

• Fever, fatigue, body aches, headache
• Swelling at the bite site or around an eye (Romaña’s sign)
• Rash, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes
• Often mild or unnoticed

Chronic phase (years later, in a subset of people)

• Cardiac issues: arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, stroke risk
• Digestive complications: enlarged esophagus (trouble swallowing), enlarged colon (severe constipation)
• Many remain asymptomatic but still infected

If you think you’ve been exposed or have symptoms, talk with a healthcare professional. Early diagnosis improves treatment success.

Who is most at risk?

• People who lived in or frequently traveled to endemic areas of Latin America
• Infants born to women with Chagas disease (congenital risk)
• Residents of southern US regions where kissing bugs and animal reservoirs are common, especially in housing with gaps or outdoor sleeping areas
• Outdoor workers, hunters, campers, and people who keep dogs in outdoor kennels
• Recipients of unscreened blood/organ products (screening in the US reduces this risk)

Practical prevention tips

Around the home

• Seal gaps and cracks in walls, roofs, doors, and foundations; repair window and door screens.
• Reduce outdoor lighting near sleeping areas or entry points that can attract insects.
• Keep yards tidy: remove woodpiles, brush, and rodent nests near the home.
• Use weather stripping and door sweeps; ensure attic and crawl space vents are screened.

For pets and kennels

• Keep dogs indoors at night when possible; elevate and screen outdoor kennels.
• Remove harborage (wood, debris) near kennels and outbuildings.
• Talk to a veterinarian if you live in an area with known kissing bug activity; canine Chagas disease is recognized in parts of the US.

Personal precautions

• Use bed nets when sleeping in rustic or unscreened structures.
• When camping, keep tents zipped and avoid sleeping near brush piles or rodent nests.

If you find a suspected kissing bug

• Do not crush it with bare hands. Avoid contact with its feces.
• If safe to do so, capture it in a sturdy container using gloves or forceps.
• Preserve it in rubbing alcohol or freeze it, and contact your state or local health department or a university entomology lab for identification guidance.
• Clean the area with household disinfectant and wash hands thoroughly.

Testing and treatment

Diagnosis typically involves blood tests to detect T. cruzi antibodies, often confirmed by more than one assay. Blood donor screening in the US has helped identify infected individuals who may not have known they were exposed.

Treatment options include antiparasitic medications such as benznidazole and nifurtimox, which are most effective early in infection but can benefit some chronically infected patients as well. In the US, these medications are available through specialized channels and should be prescribed and monitored by clinicians familiar with Chagas disease, often in consultation with the CDC.

Pregnant people with Chagas disease should receive specialized care, and infants born to infected mothers should be tested and, if positive, treated promptly.

This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you suspect exposure or have symptoms, seek care from a qualified healthcare provider.

What about dogs and other animals?

Dogs can become infected and may develop serious heart disease. Veterinary cases are reported in several southern states. The same habitat management that protects people also reduces risk for pets. If you live in an area with kissing bugs and your dog shows signs of lethargy, fainting, or heart issues, consult a veterinarian; mention possible Chagas exposure.

The bottom line

Reports that the “deadly kissing bug disease is on the rise” reflect growing detection and awareness of Chagas disease alongside environmental changes that may expand insect ranges. For most Americans, immediate risk is low. However, residents of the southern US, people with exposure to kissing bug habitats, and those who have lived in endemic areas should know the signs, take practical prevention steps, and talk with healthcare providers about testing when appropriate.

Public health surveillance, housing improvements, veterinary awareness, and timely treatment can substantially reduce the impact of this neglected tropical disease in the US.