California Reports First Local Case of Hidden Chagas Disease
WHO:
Yahoo - Dr. Sayone Thihalilopavan, County Public Health Officer, emphasized the importance of awareness regarding Chagas disease.
San Diego County News Center - County health officials confirmed the case.
WHAT:
Yahoo - The kissing bug, officially called triatomines, spreads “flu-like illness with fever, headache, cough, abdominal pain or swelling at the bite site.”
Yahoo - Worldwide, more than 7 million people are estimated to carry the parasite, causing over 10,000 deaths each year.
Yahoo - In the US, the American Heart Association estimates that around 300,000 people have Chagas disease.
San Diego County News Center - Approximately 30 to 40 percent of infected people will go on to develop serious heart and gastrointestinal complications years to decades later.
SFGATE - A 2025 review affiliated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that Chagas is becoming more common in the U.S. and should no longer be treated as only a foreign or travel-related disease.
SFGATE - Researchers noted that kissing bugs have been found in 32 states, and locally acquired human cases have been identified in seven states.
Yahoo - San Diego County reported its first locally acquired case of Chagas disease.
San Diego County News Center - The case was identified during routine blood donation screening in a donor without symptoms.
San Diego County News Center - The County has received 22 reports of Chagas disease since making it locally reportable in 2024, with four confirmed cases.
WHERE:
Yahoo - The case was reported in San Diego County, California.
San Diego County News Center - The kissing bug, which spreads Chagas disease, typically lives in rodent nests in the region.
WHEN:
San Diego County News Center - The County made Chagas disease locally reportable in 2024.
WHY:
Yahoo - Chagas disease is usually more common in rural areas of Latin America, where the kissing bug hides in homes made of mud and straw.
San Diego County News Center - The identification of a locally acquired case highlights that Chagas disease is not limited to Latin America.
HOW:
Yahoo - The disease is treatable, but only during the acute phase. Drugs like benznidazole and nifurtimox can kill the parasite and ease symptoms during that time, per the Mayo Clinic.
Yahoo - Chagas disease is caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which lives in the guts of about 55% of the kissing bugs in the US.
Yahoo - The disease can spread through the bug's feces left near a bite wound, organ donations, blood transfusions, or from mothers to infants during pregnancy.
San Diego County News Center - Health officials recommend protective measures for travelers to endemic areas, including wearing protective clothing, using insect repellant, and avoiding unpeeled or uncooked fruits and vegetables.
(UPDATED July 8, 2026 02:53 UTC)
A recent report highlights the growing concern over the kissing bug, officially known as triatomines, which spreads a flu-like illness that can lead to serious complications. Currently, over 7 million people worldwide are estimated to carry the parasite responsible for Chagas disease, with around 300,000 cases reported in the U.S. alone, and researchers have found kissing bugs in 32 states, indicating that this disease is becoming more common and should no longer be viewed solely as a travel-related issue.
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(UPDATED July 7, 2026 19:37 UTC)
San Diego County has reported its first locally acquired case of Chagas disease, confirmed by health officials during routine blood donation screening of a donor who showed no symptoms. Dr. Sayone Thihalilopavan, the County Public Health Officer, stressed the importance of awareness about this disease, which is typically spread by the kissing bug, a parasite that can be found in rodent nests in the region. Since Chagas disease became locally reportable in 2024, the County has received 22 reports, with four confirmed cases, highlighting that this disease is not confined to rural areas of Latin America.