What Is Chagas Disease?

By james

Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky

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Getting bitten by bugs and similar can be very irritating. The bites can be very itchy and often painful, and it can be extremely difficult to avoid scratching them. In addition to the irritation, some bites can be downright dangerous for us. Some bugs and other biting creatures are able to transmit some very unpleasant diseases.

Chagas disease is caused by the bite of a small bug that is quite notorious in parts of South and Central America. It is known as the kissing bug and has a reputation for making some people very ill indeed. While it is treatable in some cases, some people will have the disease for the rest of their lives.

1. Chagas Disease

Chagas disease is fairly common in some parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America. It happens sometimes when somebody is bitten by a certain species of bug that is quite common in the area. The disease is quite rare in the United States but some cases do arise in the southernmost states.

Chagas disease is an inflammatory disease and it can be dangerous in some cases. The symptoms can start mild but potentially go on to develop into life-threatening complications. It can also affect anybody, and people in poor health are at particular risk of the disease becoming serious.