Overview
- Researchers tested 26 triatomine insects from El Paso County and southern New Mexico, finding 22 positive for Trypanosoma cruzi.
- The measured prevalence rose from roughly 63–66% in 2021 to 88.5% in the latest sampling, signaling a worrisome trend flagged by the team.
- Bugs were gathered from residential yards and nearby natural areas such as Franklin Mountains State Park and school and campus grounds.
- Results were published in Epidemiology and Infection by UTEP's Rosa Maldonado with collaborator Priscila S. G. Farani.
- The team advises sealing homes, removing woodpiles, installing screens, turning off outdoor lights, and keeping pets indoors, while planning community testing in El Paso and calling for broader surveillance due to the small, localized sample.