Key points
- Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Chagas disease spreads through triatomine bugs that are infected with the T. cruzi parasite.
- People get Chagas disease through contact with the droppings (poop) of the bugs or by accidentally rubbing the feces into open wounds, eyes, or mouth.
- Chagas disease is primarily found in rural parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
How it spreads
- Triatomine bugs, also known as kissing bugs, become infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease by biting and sucking blood from animals or people carrying the parasite.
- After feeding, these bugs can pass the parasite in their feces. If the feces enter a person's body through a cut or near the eyes or mouth, it can cause infection.
- Infection can occur if someone unknowingly scratches or rubs the bug's feces into their bite wounds, eyes, or mouth.
Less common ways it can spread
Although rare, the parasite that causes Chagas disease can also spread:
- From a pregnant woman to her baby (congenital)
- Through contaminated blood products during transfusions
- Through an organ transplanted from an infected donor
- In a laboratory accident
- By consuming contaminated food or drink
About triatomine bugs
Triatomine bugs are key in spreading Chagas disease. These bugs hide in walls and roofs during the day and come out to feed on blood at night.
Triatomine bugs are typically found in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America (as far south as southern Argentina). Eleven different species of triatomine bugs have been found in the southern United States.
Triatomine bugs in the United States
Were they live
Triatomine bugs can live both indoors and outdoors. When indoors, they might be found in cracks and holes of poorly constructed houses. Outdoors, they can live in places like:
- Beneath porches
- Between rocky structures
- Under cement
- In rock, wood, brush piles, or beneath bark
- In rodent nests or animal burrows
- In outdoor dog houses or kennels
- In chicken coops or houses
In the United States, triatomine bugs rarely infest homes because houses are well-sealed and have plastered walls. However, finding them indoors, especially younger, wingless nymphs, may indicate an infestation. If these bugs are inside, they are often found near where pets sleep, where rodents are present, or around beds and bedrooms, especially under or near mattresses or nightstands.
Bugs commonly confused with triatomine bugs
These bugs do not carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease, although they are closely related and commonly confused with triatomine bugs.
