The first step to combatting disease is often raising awareness among both the general population and medical professionals.
Such is the mission being undertaken by experts on Chagas disease, a potentially deadly condition that is spread by parasites living in so-called kissing bugs, CNN reported.
“We’ve been waiting forever,” said Norman Beatty, one of the authors of a new study that made the case for Chagas being declared endemic in the U.S., per CNN. “All of us Chagas people have been waiting for people to recognize this disease in our communities.”
What’s happening?
While Chagas has been considered endemic in 21 countries, the U.S. has been slow to follow suit despite strong evidence of its pervasive presence.
While this might seem like a technical distinction without much real-world application, the study’s authors argued that declaring Chagas endemic to the U.S. would help raise awareness and lead to increased detection and earlier treatment of the disease, which is vital for improving patient outcomes.
“Classification of Chagas disease as endemic … to the United States could improve surveillance, research, and public health responses,” the study’s authors wrote. “Acknowledging the endemicity of Chagas in the United States is crucial for achieving global health goals.”
According to the CDC, globally, roughly 8 million people have Chagas disease, with an estimated 280,000 cases currently in the U.S. However, many of these cases go undiagnosed, which can lead to serious long-term health problems.
Though Chagas can be difficult to detect early on, such early detection is essential to effective treatment, per CNN.
That’s why experts have placed such importance on spreading awareness. The more people, including members of the general public and medical professionals, who know about Chagas and its early symptoms, the more likely it will be caught in time to be treated.
Many of the early signs of Chagas can easily go unrecognized. These symptoms include fever, fatigue, body aches, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, according to the CDC. These relatively common symptoms often are dismissed as nothing serious.
However, if left untreated, the long-term effects of Chagas disease can be fatal, including heart disease and serious digestive problems.
Why does Chagas disease matter?
Declaring Chagas disease to be endemic in the U.S. would help raise awareness and increase the chances of early detection, when treatments are much more effective, experts say, according to CNN. It also would help prevent the spread of Chagas through procedures like blood transfusions and organ transplants.
The spread of Chagas also has highlighted the important role that insects play in the spread of diseases. While mosquito-borne illnesses get the bulk of the attention, other insects can spread diseases that are just as serious.
“We have mosquito control programs around the country, but we’re essentially doing nothing about kissing bugs,” said Beatty, one of the study’s authors, per CNN.
What’s being done about Chagas disease?
By pushing for Chagas disease to attain endemic status in the U.S. and finding other ways to raise awareness, experts hope to increase early detection and slow the spread.
There are plenty of simple steps that people can take to protect themselves and their loved ones from insect-borne diseases, such as making sure that windows have screens on them and using insect repellent.
Also, staying up-to-date on the latest diseases in your area as well as their early symptoms and the means by which they spread can help you spot potential problems in yourself and others, which increases the chances of treatments being effective.
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