Key Points
- Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It usually spreads through contact with infected triatomine ("kissing") bugs.
- There are no drugs or vaccines to prevent Chagas disease.
- The best way to prevent Chagas disease is to prevent or limit contact with the kissing bug.
Prevention steps and strategies
Although Chagas disease is not common in the United States, you may come in contact with the infected kissing bugs when traveling to certain areas in Latin America. When visiting or traveling to areas at risk of Chagas disease, make sure to:
- Stay in well-built places (like air-conditioned or screened hotel rooms or houses). This lowers the risk of contact with infected kissing bugs, which often live in poorly built dwellings and are active at night.
- Sleep under bed nets treated with long-lasting insecticide.
- Wear clothing that covers your skin and apply bug spray on skin that's exposed.
- Avoid eating salads, raw vegetables, unpeeled fruits, and unpasteurized fruit juices.
Currently, no vaccines or medicines prevent Chagas disease.
In the United States, consult a pest control expert before using insecticides against triatomine bugs, as there are none specifically approved for them here. Note that roach traps don't work on kissing bugs, but properly treated bed nets and curtains do.
To further prevent bug infestations at home:
- Seal cracks and gaps around windows, walls, roofs, and doors.
- Remove wood, brush, and rock piles near your house.
- Use screens on doors and windows and repair any holes or tears.
- Keep yard lights away from your house because lights can attract the bugs.
- Seal off any entrances to attics or crawl spaces.
- Have pets sleep indoors, especially at night.
- Regularly clean your home and pet resting areas and keep an eye out for bugs.
Reducing Chagas Disease Exposure
In places like Mexico, Central America, and South America, where Chagas disease is more common:
- Improving housing quality and using insecticides indoors have significantly cut down the spread of Chagas disease.
- Testing blood donations for Chagas has been an important way to help stop the disease from spreading via blood transfusions.
- Finding and treating new cases early, especially in cases from mother to baby, are key in reducing the disease's impact.
In the United States the focus is on preventing the spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and from pregnant women to their babies.