Health Topic

Chagas Disease

Chagas disease, also called American trypanosomiasis, is a disease caused by a parasite. It is mainly spread by kissing bugs, which are common in Latin America. It is important to get early treatment. Learn about the signs and symptoms.

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Also called: American trypanosomiasis · South American trypanosomiasis

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Chagas Disease

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is an illness that can cause serious heart and stomach problems. It is caused by a parasite. Chagas disease is common in Latin America, especially in poor, rural areas. It can also be found in the United States, most often in people who were infected before they moved to the U.S.

Chagas disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. It is usually spread by infected blood-sucking bugs called triatomine bugs. They are also known as "kissing bugs" because they often bite people's faces. When one of these bugs bites you, it leaves behind infected waste. You can become infected if you rub the waste in your eyes or nose, the bite wound, or a cut.

Chagas disease can also spread through contaminated food, a blood transfusion, a donated organ, or from the pregnant parent to the baby during pregnancy.

Kissing bugs can be found throughout the Americas, but they are more common in certain areas. The people who are most at risk for Chagas disease:

  • Live in rural areas of Latin America
  • Have seen the bugs, especially in those areas
  • Have stayed in a house with a thatched roof or with walls that have cracks or crevices

In the beginning, there may be no symptoms. Some people do get mild symptoms, such as:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Body aches
  • Headache
  • Loss of appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • A rash
  • A swollen eyelid

These early symptoms usually go away. However, if you don't treat the infection, it stays in your body. Later, it can cause serious intestinal and heart problems such as:

  • An serious arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat) that can cause sudden death
  • An enlarged heart that doesn't pump blood well
  • Problems with digestion and bowel movements
  • An increased chance of having a stroke

To find out if you have Chagas disease, your health care provider:

  • Will do a physical exam
  • Will take your medical history, including asking about your symptoms and where you have lived and traveled
  • Will run a blood test for Chagas disease
  • May run tests to see whether the disease has affected your intestines and heart

Medicines can kill the parasite, especially early on. You can also treat related problems. For example, a pacemaker can help with some heart complications.

There are no vaccines or medicines to prevent Chagas disease. If you travel to areas where it occurs, you are at higher risk if you sleep outdoors or are staying in poor housing conditions. It is important to use insecticides to prevent bites and practice food safety.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

It sits within Infections.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Chagas Disease

85 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Chagas Disease. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Chagas Disease, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.