A new illness, known as the "kissing bug disease," may soon become endemic in the United States.

Endemic, meaning the disease regularly occurs in a given area, describes the illness that has been reported in several states.

Now, a new report is raising awareness about the spread of the potentially deadly Chagas disease in the U.S.

Dr. Sarah Hamer, Veterinary Epidemiologist at Texas A&M University, says the disease is caused by an insect.

"Kissing bugs are blood-sucking insects, just like mosquitoes and ticks," Hamer said. "They're responsible for spreading a parasite that can cause Chagas disease."

However, Chagas disease is not a new phenomenon in the U.S., Hamer says.

"Chagas disease is certainly not new in the United States," Hamer said. "We've had the kissing bug insect vectors,

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