First locally acquired 'kissing bug' case reported in San Diego County

Key Points:

• San Diego County has confirmed its first locally acquired case of Chagas disease, identified through routine blood donation screening of an asymptomatic donor.
• Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomine insects known as kissing bugs, is typically associated with Latin America but is now recognized as present in parts of the U.S. including San Diego.
• Symptoms of Chagas disease can be mild or absent initially, but 30-40% of infected individuals may develop serious heart or digestive complications decades later; the disease can also be transmitted from mother to infant.
• Researchers suggest Chagas disease may be endemic in the U.S., with thousands of kissing bugs reported across 31 states and human cases acquired domestically in eight states, though no national reporting system currently exists.
• Health officials advise protective measures such as wearing insect repellent, sleeping indoors or under insecticide-treated nets, and screening for those who have lived in endemic Latin American regions, especially pregnant women.