Panstrogylus geniculatus is a blood-sucking sylvatic insect noted as a putative vector of minor importance in the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi to humans; this is a parasite, which causes Chagas disease.

However, currently P. geniculatus is receiving attention as a potential vector of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) due to reports of this species invading the domestic and peridomestic habitats over a vast area: Venezuela,[3] Colombia,[4] Brazil,[5] Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina.

A 2005 study conducted by the Universidad Central de Venezuela, used Panstrongylus specimens collected from Caracas City and the neighboring areas of Miranda and Vargas States.

Through the use of a dot-ELISA test and other techniques to determine the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi, it was found through the examination of feces that 67 of the 88 (76.1%) specimens collected were carrying the parasite and that 53 (60.2%) of those reacted positively to human antiserum.

[7] For 2023 a recent publication demonstrates risk of urban Chagas disease transmission in Caracas, Venezuela by vector mapping and bloodmeal metabarcoding.