U.S. Should Recognize Chagas Disease as Endemic"

 U.S. Should Recognize Chagas Disease as Endemic"

A Laguna Journal Exclusive by Michael Mick Webster syndicated investigative reporter

Overview:
A groundbreaking collaboration between leading epidemiologists from the University of Florida, Texas A&M, UC Berkeley, and the Texas Department of State Health Services has sounded an alarm: Chagas disease is no longer a foreign threat—it’s already here.

In the September issue of the CDC’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, these experts call on the United States to officially recognize Chagas disease as endemic. Their goal: to strengthen surveillance, enhance diagnostic awareness, and drive the development of treatment and prevention programs across both human and animal health sectors.

The Story:
For decades, Chagas disease—caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and spread by “kissing bugs”—has been labeled a “tropical” illness, dismissed as a danger confined to poor rural regions of Latin America. But new evidence shows that locally acquired cases in the U.S. are being overlooked, hidden behind a lack of diagnostic awareness and outdated assumptions in medical and veterinary training.

Each year, Chagas disease claims more lives in Latin America than malaria, yet in the U.S., it remains underdiagnosed, underreported, and misunderstood.

“Too often, medical and veterinary training programs dismiss Chagas as only a tropical disease and irrelevant to public and animal health in the U.S.,” one researcher noted. “But the vectors, the parasite—and locally acquired cases—are here. We need the next generation of doctors and veterinarians to recognize this threat.”

Why It Matters:

• Public Health Blind Spot: Chagas poses a quiet but growing risk across the southern U.S., particularly in Texas and the Gulf states.
• Animal Health Connection: Domestic animals, including dogs, can also contract Chagas—creating a dual public and veterinary health challenge.
• Stigma and Inequity: The perception of Chagas as a “foreign” or “poverty” disease has slowed progress and silenced awareness campaigns.
• Preventable Tragedies: Early detection and treatment are possible—but only if the disease is recognized as endemic and diagnostic infrastructure expands.

The Call to Action:
It’s time for policymakers, healthcare educators, and the CDC to confront a growing reality: Chagas disease is not imported—it’s homegrown.Recognition as an endemic disease will unlock research funding, strengthen surveillance, and help protect American lives.

Angle for Laguna Journal:
This exclusive brings readers into the heart of a neglected epidemic—combining investigative reporting, scientific credibility, and human impact. It’s a story about changing the narrative: from denial to recognition, from stigma to action.

Tagline:

A silent killer hiding in plain sight: Why America must face its own tropical disease