Chagas Disease in the United States

It is estimated that approximately 23 million people currently living in the United States were born in Chagas disease-endemic countries in Central and South America and Mexico.

Based on the prevalence of Chagas disease in their countries of origin, CDC estimates that 300,000 or more of these individuals are infected with T. cruzi. Most are unaware of their infection status.

However, T. cruzi-infected triatomine bugs and reservoir animals are found in many parts of the southern United States. Nevertheless, few cases of Chagas disease acquired through local vectorborne transmission have been reported to date. The U.S. map indicates the locations of seven of these cases.

Better housing conditions and less efficient vectors may explain the low risk of vectorial transmission in the U.S. compared to Latin America.