Researchers argue that a disease spread by “kissing bugs” should be reclassified, in a newly published peer-reviewed study.

Chagas Disease, which is typically contracted in tropical climates, is spread with enough frequency to warrant additional research and improved surveillance, according to the analysis published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The disease, although rare, can give people and dogs heart complications in severe cases.

Dr. Sarah Hamer, a veterinary ecologist who has studied the disease for 13 years, said that while they are trying to raise awareness, it is not something worth freaking out over.

“There really is no need to panic,” Hamer said. “It’s been here for a long time. Kissing bugs are widespread, they’r

See Full Page