Animals Involved
Opossums, lagomorphs, rodents, armadillos, dogs, cats, other wild and domestic mammals
Known Distributions
Western hemisphere—southern USA, Mexico, Central and South America
Probable Means of Spreading
Fecal material of reduviid bug in family Triatomidae contaminates bite wounds, abrasions, or mucous membranes; ingestion in contaminated food
Clinical Manifestations in People
Acute disease—erratic fever, adenopathy, headache, myalgia, hepatosplenomegaly, swelling at inoculation site and eyelid; myocarditis or encephalitis in some; worse in immunocompromised
Chronic form (in 10%–30% of patients)— cardiomyopathy, megaesophagus, megacolon, other forms; reported annual mortality rate in chronic form 0.2%–19% (higher rates from studies that include only cardiac patients)