- Chagas disease is caused by a parasite transmitted by a bug via its feces
- Most people don’t show signs of infection but 30 percent can develop life-threatening complication including an enlarged heart
- An estimated 300,000 Americans in 27 states are believed to be infected with the disease
- A statement from the American Heart Association has warned that US doctors need to learn to recognize Chagas before an outbreak occurs
A parasitic illness that can cause strokes and heart failure is spreading across the US, doctors have warned.
Chagas disease is transmitted by an insect known as the ‘kissing bug’ because it tends to bite people’s faces, near their mouths.
Many never shown signs that they’ve been infected with the disease, which is why it has earned the nickname of the ‘silent killer’.
The disease has mostly been limited to Central and South America, but it has entered the States, sickening an estimated 300,000 Americans.
A statement released by the American Heart Association says that if US doctors don’t become better at recognizing, diagnosing and treating Chagas disease, it could result in a devastating outbreak.