Where Is Chagas Disease Found?

Chagas disease is most commonly found in Latin America, although transmission can occur in the United States. Some people who acquired the infection as children or young adults in Latin America now live in Europe and the United States. This does not mean the disease is “spreading”, because Chagas disease is not contagious like the flu or common cold. It simply means people with the disease are living in new areas, where they pose no danger of infection to the local populations as long as blood and organ donations are properly monitored.

The disease is transmitted through the insect vector in the following countries:

• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Surinam
• United States
• Uruguay
• Venezuela