A recent report from the CDC shines new light on the dangers that kissing bugs present. While their name may seem harmless, triatomines (their insect name) earned their cutesy nickname because they tend to bite people on the face. What’s more, these bugs carry a parasite in their intestines called Trypanosoma cruzi that can cause Chagas’ disease if the bug’s infected feces gets into your body. An estimated 300,000 people in the United States have Chagas’ disease.
What is Chagas’ disease?
Chagas’ disease is a severe complication of a kissing bug’s bite. Not all people bitten by kissing bugs get Chagas’ disease, because you only get the disease if infected feces from the parasite gets into your body. This can happen with the bite itself, or if you scratch or touch the bug bite and accidentally transfer the feces.
Chagas’ disease has two phases, an acute phase and a chronic phase. The acute phase is during the first few weeks of the infection, when most people experience very mild flu-like symptoms, if they experience any symptoms at all. When the infection is in the acute phase, it is responsive to antiparasitic medication. That’s why it’s so important to seek out treatment if you believe you’ve been bitten by a kissing bug.
As the number of parasites in an infected individual’s bloodstream decreases, symptoms typically subside without treatment. Once this happens, the infection is considered to be in its chronic phase and it can no longer be treated. According to the CDC, an estimated 20% to 30% of people with Chagas’ disease experience symptoms 10 to 25 years later. The symptoms are severe and can be life threatening. They can include:
- Enlarged heart (cardiomyopathy)
- Dilation of the esophagus (megaesophagus) and colon (megacolon)
- Irregular heart rhythms
If treated early, the chronic phase can be avoided. It’s important to seek treatment early if you think a kissing bug has bitten you, because there’s no cure for Chagas’ disease once it becomes chronic.
How can I prevent Chagas’ disease?
Kissing bugs are nocturnal. Usually the person bitten is sleeping, and the bite doesn’t hurt, which means that you may not know if you’ve been bitten. If you’ve been infected with the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, a small area of redness and swelling that feels hard may form where you were bitten a week or two later. Kissing bug bites look like any other bug bite, but there are usually a cluster of bites together in one spot.
You should see a doctor if you:
- Live in the southern half of the United States and have clustered insect bites on your body, especially your face
- Have seen kissing bugs in your home
For more information on Chagas’ disease, visit the CDC.
Source: Live Well, Work Well
via McGriff Insurance Services