Dangerous 'Kissing' Bug Marches North in US - Medscape
Dangerous 'Kissing' Bug Marches North in US - Medscape |
- Dangerous 'Kissing' Bug Marches North in US - Medscape
- A parasitic illness from 'kissing bugs' that bite your face at night is spreading — here's how to tell those insects apart from other bugs - Chron
- Delaware girl bitten by infamous blood-sucking kissing bug - New York Post
| Dangerous 'Kissing' Bug Marches North in US - Medscape Posted: 29 Apr 2019 11:02 AM PDT  The CDC's recent report about a "kissing bug" identified in Delaware for the first time has sparked concerns as the potentially deadly bug marches its way north from Latin America through the Carolinas and beyond. Kissing bugs carry a parasite that causes Chagas disease, which can lead to serious heart and stomach problems. So are we in for a summer invasion of these bloodsucking insects that are far from romantic? Probably not, says kissing bug expert Rachel Curtis-Robles, PhD, a post-doctoral researcher and epidemiologist at Texas A&M University in College Station. Kissing bugs are nothing new. Eleven different species of the bugs — known as triatomine bugs — are in the U.S., the CDC says. And 28 states have reported them, the Texas A&M research team says. The bugs are also typically found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. It's not the bug itself that causes the disease, but a parasite it may carry. About 300,000 people with Chagas disease live in the U.S., but most were infected in parts of Latin America where the disease is most common. The likelihood of getting the infection in the United States is low, even if the bug is infected, the CDC says. The news is a good reminder, experts agree, that people should be aware of the bug, what to do if bitten, and how to lessen the risk. More on Kissing BugsKissing bugs don't actually kiss. They got their nickname because they tend to bite people around the mouth or another part of the face, Curtis-Robles says. They are nocturnal, and your face is often the only body part exposed during sleep. "They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we all breathe out," says Sarah Gunter, PhD, an assistant professor of pediatrics and Chagas disease researcher at the National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. And they are looking for blood as their meal. But it's not the bite itself that transmits the parasite. Here's the super-disgusting part: The bug bites and then defecates. "The parasite is in the feces," Gunter says. "If the feces from an infected insect gets into the wound, that is when we see an infection." Transmission usually happens when a person accidentally rubs the feces into the bite wound or into a mucous membrane such as the eye or the mouth, the CDC says. Identifying the bugs isn't simple, since there are a lot of look-alikes. Most species in the U.S. are mainly black or very dark brown, Curtis-Robles says. They have red, orange, or yellow "stripes" around their edges, thin antennae, and legs and a cone-shaped head. Complicating the issue, most people don't report feeling a bite, Curtis-Robles says. Kissing bugs hang out indoors or out, preferring cracks and holes in older housing. Outdoors, they live beneath porches, in brush piles, or in rodent nests, outdoor dog houses, or chicken coops. Possible SymptomsNot everyone has symptoms. Some people have an allergic reaction to the saliva of the bug, the CDC says. They may have itching, swelling, hives, and severe redness. There may be swelling if the parasite gets into the body through the skin or mucous membranes. Or it could cause swelling around the eye. The infection eventually gets to the bloodstream, and it can affect the cells of the heart and digestive tract. "About one-third of people infected go on to the chronic form of the disease," Gunter says. Complications of chronic Chagas disease may include heart rhythm problems that can cause sudden death, an enlarged heart that doesn't pump blood well, and an enlarged esophagus or colon that can cause problems with eating or passing stool. "If someone is worried about being infected, they should first talk to their physician," Curtis-Robles says. A doctor can request blood tests to see if antibodies to the parasite are present. If infected, a patient may see an infectious disease specialist or a heart doctor for treatment with anti-parasitic drugs. The bugs can also bite dogs, and they can get the same heart issues as people, but in a shorter timeline, Gunter says. Happy Ending in DelawareThe insect found in Delaware, which had bitten a child as she watched television at night in her bedroom in July 2018, was sent to the CDC, which confirmed it was a kissing bug but found it negative for the parasite. The girl had no ill effects, according to a CDC report published April 19. SOURCES: Sarah Gunter, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics and Chagas disease researcher, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. Rachel Curtis-Robles, PhD, post-doctoral researcher, epidemiologist, and co-founder of the Kissing Bug Citizen Science Program, Texas A&M University, College Station. CDC: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, April 19, 2019. CDC: "Parasites — American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease)."  |
| Posted: 25 Apr 2019 08:48 AM PDT  Aylin Woodward, provided by
Triatomine, or the kissing bug. >>>See bugs to expect during the summer months & how to deal with them. Triatomine, or the kissing bug. Photo: Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Handout Photo >>>See bugs to expect during the summer months & how to deal with them. In July 2018, a family from Kent County, Delaware reported that a bug had bitten their daughter's face while she was watching TV in the evening. HoustonChronicle.com: Botanic Garden, coming in 2020, will celebrate Houston's biodiversity Based on a photograph, the Delaware Department of Agriculture identified the insect as Triatoma sanguisuga, a type of "kissing bug" that can transmit a parasitic illness called Chagas disease. The bugs latch onto human (and animal) faces to suck their blood. The bugs then tend to defecate after they bite, which can lead their parasite-containing feces to enter the victim's bloodstream. If Chagas disease is not treated, 30% of patients can develop potentially life-threatening heart and gut complications. But many people don't show signs of infection, which is why some researchers consider Chagas disease to be a silent killer. The Delaware girl, fortunately, did not contract the illness. But her case prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a report warning people about the risks of Chagas. Many other bugs — particularly stink bugs — look similar to kissing bugs, which can sometimes lead to confusion. For those concerned about whether any kissing bugs are lurking in their home, here's what to look out for. The differences between stink bugs and kissing bugsAccording to experts at Texas A&M University, kissing bugs can be recognized by their cone-shaped head, thin antennae, and long, thin legs. Overall, the insects are shaped like tear drops. Stink bugs are less svelte than kissing bugs, with more block-shaped heads and bodies, as well as thicker legs and antennae. In the US, kissing bugs are typically black or very dark brown, with distinct red, orange, or yellow stripes around the edges of their bodies. Stink bugs lack that splash of bright color, and are usually a lighter shade of brown. Size-wise, kissing bugs are also bigger than most stink bugs. Stink bugs tend to be about half an inch long, while kissing bugs sometimes reach an inch in length (just bigger than a penny). Then, of course, there's the biggest difference: stink bugs won't bite you, while kissing bugs do. Kissing bugs' mouth-parts extend well beyond their heads. Just before feeding, the bug extends its proboscis and inserts it into the host. The tiny tip is serrated like a knife, which helps it cut through skin. However, kissing bug bites are generally painless (given that the insects' goal is to bite and feed without being noticed), and therefore hard to detect. How to prevent a kissing bug infestationTypically, Chagas disease is found and contracted in Latin America. Kissing bugs prefer warmer climates, and generally congregate in sheltered wood piles or rodent nests. They usually hide during the day then emerge and become active at night to feed. Kissing bugs can be found in the US, too — they are most common in warmer states like Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, though the bugs have been reported in at least 28 states. There are at least 11 species of kissing bugs in the US; some of those transmit Chagas, but not all kissing bugs spread the parasite. So far, the CDC has only documented a few cases of Chagas disease from contact with the bugs in the US. To lower your risk of encountering a kissing bug, the CDC recommends that any outdoor lights be located away from dwellings (including from your house, an outdoor dog kennel, or a chicken coop). Remove any piles of trash, wood, and rock piles from around your home, and seal up cracks or gaps around windows, air conditioners, walls, roofs, doors, and crawl spaces. The CDC also suggests closing chimney flues when they're not in use and using screens on all doors and windows. Texas A&M experts warn people to never touch kissing bugs with their bare hands. Because the parasite that causes Chagas disease is found in kissing bugs' feces, and their bodies could be contaminated. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This man has been stung by a tarantula hawk, bullet ant, cow killer, and more — here's why See Also:  |
| Delaware girl bitten by infamous blood-sucking kissing bug - New York Post Posted: 25 Apr 2019 08:03 AM PDT  A Delaware girl was bitten by a blood-sucking kissing bug inside her home, the first time the insect, which can transmit the fatal Chagas disease, was found in the state — disturbing evidence that the deadly pest is making its way north from South and Central America, officials said. The insect bit the girl on her face while she watched TV in the bedroom of her Kent County home last July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement last week. Her parents reached out to the Delaware Division of Public Health and the Delaware Department of Agriculture for help in identifying the insect — because they were concerned about possible disease transmission, the organization said. The agencies, together with researchers at Texas A&M University's Kissing Bug Citizen Science program and the CDC, identified the pest as a kissing bug — whose scientific name is Triatoma sanguisuga. In September, the CDC warned that the insects were headed north from South and Central America and had already been found in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland, Delaware Online reported. The insect has the disgusting tendency to target humans' faces for its meals, and can transmit the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease — a rare condition that can cause serious cardiac and gastrointestinal complications, and sometimes death, according to the CDC. Luckily, the girl who was bitten last year did not become ill. About 300,000 people with Chagas disease live in the US, and most were infected with the parasite in the parts of Latin America where the disease is more common, according to the CDC report. Only a few cases of Chagas disease have been confirmed from contact with the insects on American soil, the CDC noted. Although the kissing bug has been confirmed in the Delaware case, there is no current evidence of the infecting parasite in the state, according to the organization.  |
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