Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have reported a significant increase in the rate of Chagas disease parasite infections among kissing bugs collected near homes and natural areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. This finding raises concerns about the risk of local transmission of Chagas disease in the Southwestern United States.
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly spread by blood-feeding insects known as kissing bugs. The illness affects around 6 million people globally. In its chronic phase, it can remain without symptoms for decades but may eventually cause serious heart and gastrointestinal problems.
"The infection prevalence in kissing bugs has risen significantly, from 63.3% in a study we conducted in 2021 to now 88.5%, indicating a marked upward trend. T. cruzi infections appear to be increasing," said Rosa Maldonado, Ph.D., a UTEP professor of biological sciences who led the study, published in the journal Epidemiology & Infection, in collaboration with Priscila S. G. Farani, Ph.D., assistant professor in UTEP's School of Pharmacy.
For this research, UTEP scientists collected kissing bugs from various locations including El Paso County, Texas; southern New Mexico; Franklin Mountains State Park; and areas around schools and residential yards. Of the 26 insects gathered, 22 tested positive for T. cruzi—an infection rate of 88.5%. A similar study by the same team in 2021 found that only 66% carried the parasite.
The researchers stated that these results show Chagas disease is becoming a more pressing public health issue for the Southwest region, whereas it was previously mostly limited to Latin America.
Maldonado also shared some practical preventive steps for residents.
The team plans to conduct further studies with local residents in El Paso over the next year to determine if members of the public are already carrying Chagas disease.
