I have 2 dogs with Chagas and I’ve seen (and killed) many kissing bugs. The beetles aren’t new to me but I’d never heard of Chagas until a couple of years ago. I’m just north of San Antonio...
Kerr County here. We’ve had people here for years die of heart problems from chagas. The thing is, that it’s not something the doctors or coroners checked for. And the anal sacs on raccoons is a disease vector. I shoot raccoons, but I know people here who think they are cute, and feed them.
My one friend had them coming in her house through the pet door and treated them like guests.