Kissing Bugs Are Here to Stay: New Maps Show Expanding Chagas Risk and What It Means for Thailand
A new wave of research and an eye-catching map visualization are drawing sharpened attention to kissing bugs, the blood-sucking insects that can carry the parasite behind Chagas disease. Experts say these bugs are not retreating to the borders of the tropics; climate change, housing conditions, and shifting animal reservoirs are extending their reach, including into parts of the United States where the disease was once considered rare. The developing picture is not only a U.S. concern. For Thailand, a country already grappling with dengue, malaria, and other vector-borne threats, the news underscores how changing climates and living environments can alter disease patterns across borders. Thai health officials and communities need to take a proactive, culturally grounded approach to vector control, early detection, and public education as the world watches how these bugs adapt to new landscapes.