The San Diego County health department has confirmed the first locally acquired case of Chagas disease, a parasitic illness most commonly associated with Latin America but also carried by insects found in Southern California.
The case was identified during routine screening of an asymptomatic blood donor. It marks the first known instance in which a person is believed to have contracted the disease within San Diego County rather than while traveling or living abroad.
What is Chagas disease?
Chagas disease is transmitted by triatomine insects, commonly known as “kissing bugs.” While the insects are more commonly associated with rural areas of Latin America, they are also found in San Diego County, where they typically inhabit rodent nests.
County Public Health official Sayone Thihalilopavan said the case serves as a reminder that Chagas disease is not limited to Latin America and stressed the importance of public awareness among both residents and healthcare providers.
Symptoms and long-term risks
Many people infected with Chagas disease experience mild flu-like symptoms (or no symptoms at all) during the early stage of infection. Possible symptoms include fever, headache, cough, abdominal pain and swelling at the site of the insect bite.
If left untreated, however, the disease can lead to serious heart and gastrointestinal complications years or even decades later. Health officials say these long-term complications develop in roughly 30% to 40% of infected individuals.
The disease can also be passed from a pregnant person to their baby.
Health officials urge precautions
San Diego County designated Chagas disease as a locally reportable illness in 2024. Since then, officials have received 22 reports, with four confirmed cases. The latest case is the county’s first believed to have been acquired locally.
Health officials recommend that travelers to areas where Chagas disease is more common wear protective clothing, use insect repellent, sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets when appropriate and avoid consuming unpeeled or raw fruits and vegetables.
Source: ABC 10 News.
