GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – A bug with a deadly bite is getting a lot of attention across the country. Known as the kissing bug, it feeds on human blood and leaves behind a parasite that causes Chagas disease.
The bug often bites people in the face at night while they’re sleeping, hence the name kissing bug.
Chagas disease attacks tissue and muscles in the body and can cause a host of problems, including heart disease. Dr. Anil Mangla, a communicable diseases expert, says this: “It can be there for about twenty years, two decades, and then you start seeing these symptoms and one of the major symptoms is sudden death.”
Other symptoms often include swelling near the bite and pain in the gut.
Chagas disease is most common in Central America and Mexico but has made a surge north into the southern U.S. recently, some think due to climate change.
Kissing bugs can hide in cracks and holes in beds, floors, walls and furniture, according to the Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services. They are most likely to be found:
- Near places where a pet, such as a dog or cat, spends time.
- In areas where mice or other rodents live.
- Near beds, especially under mattresses or on furniture close to the bed.
“They just need to make sure that their house is sealed very well,” says Bill Patterson, a pest control expert with Worldwide Pest Control.
That includes doors, windows and any other cracks and crevices around your home. You’ll want to make sure you clean up any wood, brush, and rock piles near the outside of your home too. If you think you may have seen the insect, calling an exterminator is your best option.
Click here for more info on the kissing bug from the CDC.
