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Deadly tropical disease in "kissing bugs" affect up to 100,000 Californians

Ellsworth Toohey
Sep 03, 2025
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Kissing bug (ShorelineGalesPhotography/shutterstock.com)

A deadly tropical disease transmitted by blood-sucking "kissing bugs" has established itself in California and the Southern United States. Chagas disease, once considered a distant threat, now affects an estimated 300,000 people in the U.S., with California harboring the highest concentration at 70…

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