Are There Kissing Bugs in California? All About Kissing Bugs and Chagas Disease

No matter how much of a certain kind of bug-repelling soap you slather on your body, if a bug infestation occurs in a region, you are going to have to deal with the ramifications. If you are a resident of California, chances are you have heard about the kissing bug infestation that has come to the U.S., but you may be wondering if they have made their way to your state.

If kissing bugs have, in fact, come to California, do they pose any threat to you and your companion animals?

Brace yourself if talking about bugs makes you squirm, as this is vitally important information. If you live in or are visiting California, you must stay abreast of the news of kissing bugs in California and the disease that they may bring with them.

Below, we explore the infestation of kissing bugs in California and what else you should know to keep you, your family, and your companion animals safe.

According to the Volume 31, Number 9, September 2025 edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication Emerging Infectious Diseases, the disease carried by triatomines (who are more commonly known as "kissing bugs") was identified in eight U.S. states, including California.

The seven other remaining states include: Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, "California is one of 32 states where the insect that carries the parasite has been found; California is also one of eight states where humans have acquired the infection locally from the insects. The first locally acquired human case of Chagas in California was found in 1982."

The disease carried by kissing bugs is called Chagas Disease (T. cruzi). Although focus has been on human contraction of the disease, according to the CDC report, companion animals can contract Chagas Disease, as well.

"Infection among companion animals, such as domestic and working canines and felines, has also been demonstrated throughout the United States," per the report. "Dogs exposed to T. cruzi have been found in 23 states, as well as in Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands."

"Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites, is considered endemic to 21 countries in the Americas, excluding the United States," per the CDC report. "However, increasing evidence of T. cruzi parasites in the United States in triatomine (kissing bug) insects, domestic animals, wildlife, and humans challenges that nonendemic label."

According to the CDC page entitled "Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Chagas Disease," there is indeed a test to detect if someone has contracted Chagas Disease. "Since 2006, [the] FDA has approved tests for screening blood donations for specific antibodies against the T. cruzi parasite. Acute Chagas disease can be identified by spotting parasites in [the] blood using microscopy. For chronic Chagas, look for specific antibodies against the parasite."