Chaga disease spreading in US; could become endemic

The Brief

Chagas disease, also known as the "kissing bug" disease, is spreading across the United States, and some researchers believe it should now be classified as endemic.

What we know:

Human cases of the deadly disease have been reported in eight states, including Texas, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas.

However, the blood-sucking insects that cause Chagas disease have been found in 32 states over the past decade.

In a report published last month for the CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, researchers argued that Chagas disease should be considered endemic in the U.S.

What does endemic mean?

A disease is endemic if it regularly occurs within a certain area or community.

It's different from an epidemic, which describes a sud