If you’re in an area where Chagas disease is a serious health concern and you get a kissing bug bite, see your doctor if:
- You feel like you have a flu with a fever, nausea, or tiredness
- Your eyelids are swollen
- The bite looks infected (it’s red, painful, and swollen)
What are the symptoms of a kissing bug?
What are the symptoms of a kissing bug? The kissing bug disease has two phases, in which symptoms are mild in the first one. Symptoms of the kissing bug include rash, fatigue, fever or any other flu like symptoms. At the place where the parasite enters the body, a sore is formed. Besides this the person experiences appetite loss, diarrhea and ...
Is kissing bug bite dangerous or not?
The kissing bug does present a real health danger to humans as it can transmit Chagas Disease. The kissing bug will bite a human or animal and leave a fecal deposit behind where the germs from their poop can contain the Chagas Disease. The Center for Disease Control advises that the likelihood of this happening is rare, but it is a possibility.
What are the symptoms of a bug bite?
- Trouble breathing
- Swelling of the lips, face, eyelids or throat
- Dizziness, fainting or unconsciousness
- A weak and rapid pulse
- Hives
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
What is the treatment for kissing bugs?
This includes:
- using screens in all windows, doors, and air vents
- repairing or replacing any worn screens in windows and doors
- sealing any cracks or gaps in-between windows, walls, or floors
- removing brush, fallen branches, and rock piles near the house
- turning off any lights around the house at night, as these may attract the bugs
What does a kissing bug bite feel like?
The bite isn't distinctive, either. It looks like any other bug bite, except there's usually a cluster of bites together in one spot. People who are sensitive to the kissing bug's saliva may experience a reaction to the bite. This is usually only mild itching, redness, and swelling.
What happens if a kissing bug bites you?
Kissing bugs can transmit a parasite that leads to a potentially serious illness called Chagas disease. Most cases of Chagas disease occur in Latin America. Although infection directly from exposure to the kissing bug is rare in the US, it is still important to take steps to prevent kissing bug bites.
Where do kissing bugs hide in a home?
Triatomine bugs (also called “kissing bugs”, cone-nosed bugs, and blood suckers) can live indoors, in cracks and holes of substandard housing, or in a variety of outdoor settings including the following: Beneath porches. Between rocky structures. Under cement.
Do kissing bugs live in beds?
Kissing Bugs emerge from hiding places at night and attack people in bed, much like Bedbugs will. When looking for a Kissing Bug infestation, generally follow the advice given for Bedbugs. While biting, these insects inject a small amount of saliva into the wound to prevent the blood from clotting.
What attracts a kissing bug?
Adults fly well and are attracted to lights after dark. In suburban and rural Arizona, kissing bugs are often attracted to porch lights. At dawn, they may seek a way to avoid sunlight and heat, and may enter a residence through a doorway gap, or cracks around window screens.
How do you protect yourself from kissing bugs?
You can help to prevent kissing bugs from entering your home by following these tips from our experts: Seal cracks and crevices around windows, walls, doors, the roof, and attic. Remove wood piles, rock piles, and other structures away from your house. Bring laundered clothes inside as soon as possible.
Can you squish a kissing bug?
Don't Squish Kissing Bugs If you see a kissing bug, the CDC advises against touching or squashing it. Put it in a container, and then fill it with rubbing alcohol or freeze it. Then take the bug to a local extension service, health department or university laboratory for identification.
What bugs can be mistaken for kissing bugs?
Indeed, wheel bugs and a few other true bugs continue to be misidentified on social media as kissing bugs. Two of the most common faux-kissers appearing on social media are boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata) and western conifer seed bugs (Leptoglossus occidentalis).
Should I be worried about kissing bugs?
Kissing bugs can be a major source of irritation. They leave bites on the face and other areas of skin, and an infestation in the house may mean that the people living there get bitten regularly. Kissing bugs with the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite can also lead to Chagas disease.
How do you survive the kissing bug?
1:324:39How to Survive a Kissing Bug Infestation - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you may see patches of them like hives around your mouth to reduce the swelling clean the areaMoreAnd you may see patches of them like hives around your mouth to reduce the swelling clean the area with water apply ice and a first aid antiseptic to minimize any itching.
What do you do if you have kissing bugs?
If you find a kissing bug, the CDC recommends you do not touch or squash it. To help understand the problem and how many carry the disease, the CDC is asking for help. They suggest you place a container on top of the kissing bug for 24 hours, and then seal the bug inside the container.
How to tell if a bug bite came from a mattress?
It can be hard to know where the bite came from, especially if the bug is gone when you wake up. You could check under your nightstand or your mattress. Scoop up any bugs you find into a container with gloved hands and clean the area the bug touched with bleach.
Why are kissing bugs called kissing bugs?
Kissing bugs are so named because they like to bite around the mouth or eyes. You’ll often see 2-15 bite marks in one area and maybe redness and swelling. It might be hard to tell them apart from other bug bites, minor skin irritations, or infections.
What does it feel like to get a kissing bug bite?
If you’re in an area where Chagas disease is a serious health concern and you get a kissing bug bite, see your doctor if: You feel like you have a flu with a fever, nausea, or tiredness. Your eyelids are swollen. The bite looks infected (it’s red, painful, and swollen)
How big are kissing bugs?
They’re usually ½- to 1-inch-long, about the size of a penny. They’re also called cone-nosed bugs, bloodsuckers, cinches, and triatomine bugs. Like mosquitoes and ticks, kissing bugs need blood to live. They usually suck it from animals, including dogs, but sometimes they bite people.
How to keep Chagas disease away from my house?
If you’ve noticed them in your home or live in an area with Chagas disease, you can take steps to keep them away: Seal cracks and gaps in your home to keep bugs out. Put screens in your windows and patch any holes. Keep chicken coops and other animal cages away from your home.
Where do kissing bugs live?
Kissing bugs are blood-feeding insects that live in the southern and western United States, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. They don’t kiss. But they might bite you, probably while you sleep.
Is Chagas disease rare?
Chagas disease from a kissing bug is very rare in humans in the U.S. But the number of cases is growing in southern parts of the country.
Appearance
Kissing bugs get their common name from their behavior of obtaining a blood meal from around the lips, face, hands, feet, head and other parts of the body exposed during sleep. Their blood feeding activity around the face gives credibility to the association with kissing.
Health Risks of Kissing Bug Bites
Kissing bugs are able to transmit the parasite that causes Chagas disease, an emerging infectious disease that occasionally occurs in the southwestern parts of the United States. Kissing bugs are nocturnal feeders that take blood from people and other hosts such as dogs at night while they sleep.
What is the cause of Chagas disease?
Some kissing bugs carry a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease . The bugs are active at night, usually feeding on animals such as raccoons, birds, rats, opossum, cats, dogs and even cattle. If they encounter humans, they’ll bite them, too.
What is a kissing bug?
1. That’s not its real name. The kissing bug is the colloquial term for the triatomine bug, a type of reduviid bug. It looks like a flying cockroach and people may confuse it with a stink bug. Although different species of the insects vary in size, kissing bugs are generally about the size of the tip of your thumb and have a long, ...
What fruits can you eat with kissing bug nymphs?
Eating the meat of an infected animal or drinking fresh squeezed juice from fruits such as guava or acai berries that have infected kissing bug nymphs on them.
How do you know if you have Chagas disease?
Most people who get infected with Chagas disease don’t have any symptoms whatsoever beyond the body’s typical response to an insect bite -- swelling and redness that goes away in a few days. There’s a classic sign where one eye gets puffy, but not everyone has that either. Other symptoms that may be easy to miss are flu-like – mild fever and an achy feeling that goes away by itself. A very small percentage of people develop acute myocarditis, an acute inflammation of the heart that can be fatal. Only 20 to 30% of patients develop chronic symptoms, and it could be decades before they appear.
How many people in the world have Chagas disease?
In Central and South America and Mexico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are at least 8 to 10 million people living with Chagas disease.
What is Chagas cardiomyopathy?
Chagas cardiomyopathy is essentially heart failure. The parasites get into the heart muscle and chronically infect it, causing scarring and fibrosis. The heart hardens and no longer effectively pumps blood through the body. This can also lead to weakening and rupture of the heart wall.
How many people develop chronic GI disease?
Only 20 to 30% of patients develop chronic symptoms, and it could be decades before they appear. The most common chronic symptoms of infection are Chagas cardiomyopathy, electrical and pulse abnormalities in the heart, and chronic infection of the GI tract. Chagas cardiomyopathy is essentially heart failure.
What is the risk of a kissing bug bite?
Associated risks. The main risk of sustaining a bite from the kissing bug is contracting Chagas disease. Chagas disease is the common name for an infection from the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. Not all triatomines have the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, but it is very common.
What is the disease of kissing bugs?
Anyone who experiences a lot of kissing bug bites on their face or who thinks they may have Chagas disease should talk to their doctor. Read on to learn more about the kissing bug, symptoms of a bite, the associated risks, and some treatment options.
Why are kissing bugs called kissing bugs?
Summary. “Kissing bug” is the common name for a species of bug called triatomines. The bugs get their common name because they tend to leave bite marks on the face. The main risk associated with kissing bugs is the presence of a parasite in their feces, which can cause Chagas disease in the people it infects.
What is the best treatment for Chagas disease?
There are two common antiparasitics for the treatment of Chagas disease: nifurtimox and benznidazole.
How to get rid of kissing bugs?
Chemically treated curtains and bednets may help kill kissing bugs. To prevent infestation, it is important to take steps to reduce the possible entryways these bugs have. This includes: using screens in all windows, doors, and air vents. repairing or replacing any worn screens in windows and doors.
What are the characteristics of a kissing bug?
Some key characteristics include: a long, oval shaped body with six legs. a thin, cone shaped head with long antennae. a light brown to black body. yellowish to red or tan markings on their bodies.
How many people have Chagas disease?
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that around 8 million people have Chagas disease in these areas. There are also an increasing number of cases in the southern United States.
What Are Kissing Bugs?
Kissing bugs are sometimes also called “assassin bugs” or “vampire bugs” because they sneak into bedrooms at night to suck human blood. They tend to bite people on or around their mouths. Most kissing bug bites are a bit painful, but harmless. However, some kissing bugs are infected with a parasite called Tyropansoma cruzi. This parasite causes Chagas disease, a chronic illness that can cause lifelong symptoms and complications.
How to tell if you have Chagas disease?
If you notice bug bites on your body and experience any of the following early symptoms of Chagas disease, visit a health care professional right away. Symptoms include: 1 Fatigue 2 Fever 3 Body Aches 4 Rash 5 Cardiac Issues 6 Intestinal Issues
How do you know if a kissing bug is a flyer?
Adults have wings and are strong flyers. You can also identify kissing bugs by their behavior patterns. Kissing bugs tend to live outside, underneath porches or in dog houses. They creep inside of homes through cracks in the walls and floor in search of blood.
Where do kissing bugs get their name?
Kissing bugs get their name from biting near the mouth, but the eyes, face, head, arms, and feet are also some of their favorite spots. Usually you will see multiple bite marks in the same area with redness and swelling.
What color are a squid?
They have cone-shaped mouthpieces on their heads and oval bodies. Their legs and long and thin. They are dark colored, usually brown or black. Most species also have red, yellow, orange, or tan markings in a band around the edge of their bodies. Adults have wings and are strong flyers.
Can kissing bugs bite?
Kissing bugs are mostly harmless, but a bite from an infected bug can have major consequences. If you identify kissing bugs around your home, call us for professional help with eliminating the problem. If you think you might have a kissing bug bite, talk to your doctor right away just in case. Do you have a kissing bug infestation affecting your ...
