Chagas in US, of which is spread and caused by the deadly "kissing bug", is threatening the country. Doctors warn that Chagas in US is on the rise, already having affected over 300,000 people in the country, and an estimated 8 million all over the world.

Because of the continual rise in the number of people infected by Chagas in US, the issue has prompted growing concern in one of the largest countries in the world.

According to USA Today, Chagas disease, a life-threatening illness passed on to humans by the deadly "kissing bugs" or triatomines, have affected some 8 million people in the whole world, and some of them are living in Latin America.

Apparently though, concern over Chagas in US has exclusively affected professionals and areas concerning it, since there are only a few aware of the existence of the disease in the first place.

Doctors in the U.S. reportedly rarely consider checking for the illness, despite it being standard practice to screen expectant mothers for the disease in other parts of the world, such as Bolivia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chagas in US may have infected some 300,000 people already. Cases of Chagas in US are reportedly on an alarming incline and the potentially fatal disease is fast becoming a growing public health problem, especially in Texas and Virginia, reports The Examiner. This is especially true for populations located in endemic areas.

A report by 9 News on Sunday said that there is approximately 8 million people with Chagas disease. The deadly "kissing bugs" pass on Chagas top humans through their feces.

Apart from the bugs, Chagas in US, or the disease in general, may also be spread through blood transfusion, organ transplantation, eating food contaminated with the parasites and from mother to fetus.

According to The Examiner, the bug usually lives inside cracks or holes amongst poorly constructed houses and animal pens. The bugs are native to Mexico and Central and South America, but according to The Atlantic, more and more cases of Chagas in US are popping up.

The Chagas disease, also referred to as American trypanosomiasis, was named after Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who initially discovered it in 1909.

According to CDC reports, the disease can only be found in the Americas, mainly in the rural areas of Latin America affected with much poverty.

In the United States, Chagas disease is considered one of the neglected parasitic infections, a group of five parasitic diseases that have been targeted by CDC for public health action, the report states.

Cases of Chagas in US can turn deadly and lead to death if not treated immediately, as is all others infected by the disease. What makes the disease even more deadly is that those infected may not know they are infected in the first place, living for many years unknowing of their infection, according to the World Health Organization.

According to a report by NewsMax, parasites usually reside in the heart and digestive muscles. 30 percent of patients usually suffer from cardiac disorders, while 10 percent undergo digestive problems.

Though many are still unaware, the Atlantic reports that awareness about Chagas in US is slowly progressing, especially in places like Virginia, with the state having more Bolivians than others. Dozens of Chagas cases have cropped up in the region recently.

NewsMax Health pointed out that around a dozen cases of Chagas in US, particularly near Washington, D.C. have been diagnosed. Doctors and experts are saying that they wouldn't be surprised if the numbers were higher. However, the large number seems to come from immigrants in the United States.

Researchers at Texas A&M told KFDX.com that they have also discovered kissing bugs in Dallas which adds to the increase of Chagas in US. The National Public Radio pointed as well to a study published Wednesday in the science journal Emerging Infectious Diseases stating that infected dogs are already acting as Trojan horses for introducing the Chagas in Texas.

The NPR reported of the spread of Chagas in US, 'From shelter mutts to purebred show dogs, canines across the state of Texas are becoming infected with a parasite that causes a potentially deadly disease in people.'

They added, 'Although the dogs aren't spreading the parasite directly to people, they are helping to make the disease more prevalent in the southern U.S. Not to mention the parasite can make dogs sick and even kill them.'

Chagas in US does not pose a serious threat to the general population as of now, reports The Examiner. However, patient advocates say that the lack of concern stems from the disease's connections to poverty and immigration. Around 11,000 people are reported to die of the disease in a year.