NBCUniversal Media, LLC

They are known as "kissing bugs," but instead of spreading love, they transmit a parasitic disease that can be deadly.

Chagas disease is considered endemic; it's present in 21 countries in the Americas, excluding the United States. However, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that there is growing evidence challenging the label of the U.S. as non-endemic.

Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE

The report indicates that infections transmitted by "kissing bugs" have already been identified in eight states: California, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas — where it seems to be more common.

However, the CDC notes that the blood-sucking insec

See Full Page