Chagas Disease Spreads in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Quintana Roo has positioned itself among the 12 states with the highest number of Chagas disease infections in the country, ranking 13th out of 32 entities in the cumulative case count. This parasitic infection, caused by the “kissing bug” (Triatoma infestans), is considered one of the main neglected tropical diseases in Latin America and maintains a low but constant incidence in Quintana Roo.

According to official reports and recent records, in the Yucatán Peninsula, Yucatán leads the list with 43 cases, none acute; followed by Quintana Roo with 10, and Campeche with seven detections.

The state has recorded 10 confirmed cases up to epidemiological week 46, one of them with acute symptoms and the rest chronic. Although Quintana Roo does not rank among the states with the highest frequency of infections, the parasite and its vector are present in the region. Records show few cases per year, but consistently. According to specialists, the low incidence could reflect underreporting, since limited detection is due to the fact that most infected individuals do not present symptoms, even for years.

Identification depends on blood bank screening to find hidden cases, so early detection and vector control remain essential to prevent an increase in the coming years.

In 2022, four cases were confirmed in the state; in 2023 there were no records, while in 2024 two were located in the municipality of José María Morelos, through blood donation. In 2025, 10 cases have been confirmed (Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Chetumal), although it is mentioned that there could be one in Cancún, which has not been verified.

State authorities indicated that, although the numbers are low, the disease continues to pose a risk, due to the presence of the vector in rural areas of the state and the difficulty in identifying asymptomatic cases. Nationally, 539 incidents were counted, while in 2024 the figure rose to 656.

The transmitting insect in rural and jungle areas constitutes the main risk factor, along with housing conditions with wooden walls, thatched roofs, or cracks. The scarce detection is explained because most infected individuals remain without symptoms for years, and identification depends on blood bank screening.

Transmission can also occur through blood transfusion, organ transplant, consumption of contaminated food, or from mother to child during gestation. In its initial phase, many cases go unnoticed because they are asymptomatic.

Without treatment, the disease can cause severe heart damage, digestive alterations, and chronic complications years later, so early detection and vector control are fundamental to preventing an increase in cases in the future.

The chronic phase of the disease represents the late and potentially severe stage of the parasitic infection that can develop years after the initial contagion. Most people remain without symptoms for long periods, although between 30% and 40% may cause severe and permanent damage to the heart and digestive system. Treatment in this phase focuses on controlling clinical manifestations, since the Triatoma cannot be completely eliminated through antiparasitic medications.