what states is the kissing bug found in

They are most common in the U.S. in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. Mostly active at night, the kissing bug feeds on the blood of mammals, bird and reptiles. They live in a wide variety of environmental settings but typically in the proximity of an animal upon which they can feed, the CDC

reports.

Full Answer

Where do kissing bugs live in the US?

They’re found in Central and South America and Mexico, but they’re heading north. Most of the world’s kissing bugs are in Central and South America and Mexico. They’ve also been found in the United States in the lower 28 states, with higher concentrations in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

What is the kissing bug disease?

A potentially deadly disease carried by the "kissing bug" has made its way into more than half of the United States. The inch-long triatomine bug is called the "kissing bug" because it has a habit of feeding on blood by biting around the lips and faces of people while they sleep, CNN reported.

Are there kissing bugs in Maryland?

Kissing bugs are present in Maryland, but they are of little cause for concern. The risk of contracting a disease from them is extremely low. Kissing bugs, conenose bugs, or vampire bugs are all common names for a group of insects in the subfamily called Triatominae, which is part of a larger group known as assassin bugs (family Reduviidae).

Are kissing bugs a threat to Delaware residents?

April 26, 2019 -- 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.

Where are kissing bugs mostly located?

Kissing bugs are blood-feeding insects that live in the southern and western United States, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America.

What do you do if you find a kissing bug in your house?

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.

Is the kissing bug in the United States?

Kissing bugs live throughout North America, Central America, and South America. In the United States, kissing bugs have been found in 29 states. All shaded states in the map have at least one kissing bug found there.

What states have Chagas disease?

Roughly 8 million individuals have Chagas in Mexico, Central America, and South America. That's likely why, of the 6 states where Chagas disease is reportable to state health agencies, 4 of them are states that border either Mexico or the Gulf of Mexico: Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

What kills kissing bugs?

If you do come across a triatomine, don't kill it, the CDC recommends. Instead, capture it with a container and either fill it with rubbing alcohol or freeze it. Then take it to your local health department or university laboratory for identification.

What happens if you squish a kissing bug?

Do not touch a kissing bug with your bare hands! The T. cruzi parasite may be in the feces of kissing bugs, and their bodies may have the parasite on them.

Can kissing bugs bite through clothes?

Their bites are gentle and painless, and usually occur while the victim is asleep. They are generally unable to bite through clothing. On humans, blood meals are sometimes taken from the tender areas of the face (hence the name “kissing bug”).

How fatal is Chagas disease?

cruzi infection) is also referred to as American trypanosomiasis. It is estimated that as many as 8 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America have Chagas disease, most of whom do not know they are infected. If untreated, infection is lifelong and can be life threatening.

Who is most likely to get Chagas disease?

Not everyone is at risk for Chagas disease. Currently, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recommends screening persons who were born in or lived longer than 6 months in highly endemic regions, such as South America, Central America and Mexico.

Can you be cured of Chagas disease?

To kill the parasite, Chagas disease can be treated with benznidazole or nifurtimox. Both medicines are nearly 100% effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection at the onset of the acute phase, including the cases of congenital transmission.

What percentage of kissing bugs carry Chagas?

Up to 60% of kissing bugs carry the parasite that causes Chagas, compared with only 0.1% of mosquitos that carry dengue, an infectious disease occurring in tropical areas. Although more than half of kissing bugs carry the disease-causing parasite, Hamer said it's still difficult for a person to be infected.

Where is Chagas most common?

Chagas disease is common in parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America where an estimated 8 million people are infected.

Where do kissing bugs lay their eggs?

Kissing bugs usually feed on humans during nighttime hours, most often in the bedroom. They are usually solitary adults but, on occasion gravid females may enter the home and lay eggs giving rise to nymphs. Bugs are often found between the mattress and box spring or under bedding sheets.

Do kissing bugs fly or crawl?

Kissing bugs can fly, but they can also crawl and get inside that way.

When are kissing bugs active?

Conenose bugs (also known as “kissing bugs”) are blood-sucking insects that feed on rodents or other wild animals. They will also bite humans, and some people can develop allergies to their bites. These bugs have a long, cone-shaped head and a dark brown or black body and are mostly active at night.

Is a kissing bug a stink bug?

Kissing bugs look similar to stink bugs, but stink bugs are typically smaller and lack the red, orange, or yellow stripes of color that you can see on kissing bugs.

Where are kissing bugs found?

Kissing bugs are typically found in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Triatomine species are potential vectors ...

How big are kissing bugs?

Adult Kissing bugs in general range in size from 3/4 - 1 3/4 inches in length. They have an elongated cone-shaped head with elbowed antennae and a slender beak-like structure on the underside, which is their mouth. Most will have some type of red-orange banding on their abdomen.

What is the difference between a boxelder and a kissing bug?

However, while the kissing bug has six red-orange stripes along the side of its abdomen, the boxelder bug has red along the edges of the front wings. Refer to our page about boxelder bugs for more information.

What is the name of the bug that has a red ring on its side?

Kissing Bugs. Adult eastern bloodsucking conenose bug (Triatoma sanguisuga) has an elongated head and six red-orange markings along the side of its abdomen. Photo: Kansas Department of Agriculture , Bugwood.org. Kissing bugs are present in Maryland, but they are of little cause for concern. The risk of contracting a disease from them is extremely ...

What is the name of the parasite that is found in humans?

Triatomine species are potential vectors of the Chagas disease parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. However, only two species of kissing bugs, Triatoma infestans, and Rhodnius prolixus , are commonly found living with humans and are considered important vectors of this parasite, and neither of these two species are commonly found in the United States.

How big are blood sucking conenose bugs?

The adult eastern bloodsucking conenose bug is 3/4 inch (19 mm) long. They are dark brown to black in color, with flattened bodies. Their abdomen is wide, and the sides stick out past the wing margins, displaying six reddish-orange lines along both sides. Nymphs (the immature insects) range in size based on species and age. They will have elongated cone-shaped heads like the adults but will not have the red-orange banding on their abdomen.

What are some of the common bugs that are mistaken for kissing bugs?

These are some of the common insects that are often mistaken for kissing bugs. The wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) is also a member of the assassin bugs group (family Reduviidae). It has a characteristic wheel on its back and red-orange markings along the side of its abdomen. Wheel bugs are often mistaken for kissing bugs.

Where are kissing bugs found?

Most of the world’s kissing bugs are in Central and South America and Mexico. They’ve also been found in the United States in the lower 28 states, with higher concentrations in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Kissing bugs have been spotted a far north as Delaware, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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 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.

Do kissing bugs live in Texas?

We don’t have kissing bugs in every state and not all kissing bugs are infected. If you live in an area where kissing bugs are found, like Texas or Arizona, your risk is minimal, but it’s helpful to know how to identify them and how to prevent them from getting into your home.

Can kissing bugs get into your house?

The risk of a kissing bug getting into your home is low because most houses are adequately insulated and don’t have cracks in the walls where the kissing bugs can come in. The few infections that occur in the United States typically take place when people are camping in tents, sleeping bags or cabins. 4.

Is Chagas disease toxic?

There are only two medications to treat Chagas disease and both are fairly toxic. Chagas disease is considered a neglected tropical disease and there haven’t been any new medications developed to treat it in the last 40 to 50 years. There are no vaccines available for prevention of Chagas disease.

How many states have the kissing bug?

A disease-carrying-blood-sucking insect known as a "kissing bug" has spread to 29 states, including the latest sighting in Delaware, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week.

Where do kissing bugs come from?

It was the first reported encounter of a kissing bug in the state of Delaware, according to the CDC. Typically found in warm climates in Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America and the southern United States, Triatomine bugs, also known as cone-nosed bugs, vampire bugs, assassin bugs and blood suckers, are about twice the size ...

How many people have Chagas disease?

Roughly 300,000 people with Chagas disease live in the U.S. today, mostly contracted from the Triatoma cruzi variety of kissing bug and mostly after being infected while living or traveling to parts of Central and South America. The disease is transmitted through the bug's feces.

What is the name of the bug that bites on the face?

At a Glance. Twenty-nine states have reported encounters with Triatomine bugs , also known as 'kissing bugs.'. They get their name for their propensity to bite humans on the face and lips. They can transmit a parasitic disease known as Chagas, which can lead to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal complications.

Why are bugs moving north?

It is unclear why the bugs appear to be moving north. Jacqueline Petty of the CDC told weather.com the bugs may have been in the north all along but increased awareness awareness about the bugs and about Chagas disease may have resulted in "an increase of bugs recognized or thought to be triatomines.".

How is a bug's disease transmitted?

The disease is transmitted through the bug's feces. If it defecates near an open bite, the infected feces can then be accidentally rubbed into the open wound. It can also infect humans via mucus membranes, including the eyes, nose or mouth. Advertisement.

Can you get Chagas disease from a bitten person?

Very few cases of Chagas disease contracted after being bitten in the U.S. have been documented. The aforementioned Delaware girl did not develop any symptoms of the disease, the CDC reported.

Where are kissing bugs found?

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.

What is the kissing bug?

April 26, 2019 -- 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.

What is the CDC's report about the kissing bug?

April 26, 2019 -- 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 parasitethat causes Chagas disease, which can lead to serious heartand stomach problems.

How many people have Chagas disease?

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.

What is the CDC's name for parasites?

CDC: "Parasites -- American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease)."

What color are black bugs?

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.

What is the worm that is under your skin?

This worm is a parasite that spreads through deer-fly bites. It burrows into your skin and causes itchy areas around your joints called Calabar swellings. It also leads to an infection called loiasis, or African eye worm. You may even see the worm as it crawls across the surface of your eye or under your skin.

Why are kissing bugs dangerous?

The reason kissing bugs pose a threat to humans is because more than half of them carry a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), which can result in Chagas disease, a potentially fatal infection for both people and animals.

What to do if you see a kissing bug in Nebraska?

Officials in the state say that if you see a kissing bug, you should try to catch it. And if you believe someone was bitten by one, you can contact the DHHS Vector-Borne Disease Program. But Nebraska isn't the only state plagued by these nefarious bugs. Those who live elsewhere should contact their state's department of health services ...

What are the most dangerous bugs?

There are a handful of disease-carrying bugs that are widely regarded as dangerous nuisances, including dreaded pests like mosquitoes and ticks. But there are also lesser-known disease-carrying bugs, like the triatoma, also known as the "kissing bug." It's been spotted in at least 26 U.S. states, and it carries a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people in the country. Recently, one state's health department asked that people notify local officials immediately if they see this insect.

How many states have spotted a squid?

It's been spotted in at least 26 U.S. states, and it carries a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people in the country. Recently, one state's health department asked that people notify local officials immediately if they see this insect.

What to do if you see a bug?

RELATED: If You See This Bug, You Need to Vacuum It Up Immediately, Experts Say.

Where are kissing bugs endemic?

Chagas is endemic in Latin America, where there are about 8 million cases of the disease. But the infection, and the bugs that carry it, are moving north. A map of the states where kissing bugs have been spotted.

What is the disease of kissing bugs?

Some kissing bugs are infected with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which can be transmitted in the fecal material, and cause the potentially deadly Chagas disease . Chagas disease most often causes flu-like symptoms like fever, body aches and vomiting.

How many cases of Chagas in a kissing bug?

There is only about one case of Chagas for every 900-4,000 contacts with infected kissing bugs.

How long does kissing bug stay dormant?

WECT-TV reports that these symptoms can remain dormant for up to 20 years. The disease can also be contracted by dogs. It cannot be transmitted human to human, but the Irish Independent reports that it can be contracted if an infected kissing bug defecates on uncooked food which a human then consumes.

Why is the Kissing Bug called the Kissing Bug?

The inch-long triatomine bug is called the "kissing bug" because it has a habit of feeding on blood by biting around the lips and faces of people while they sleep , CNN reported.

Where are Chagas bugs found?

The bugs are present in 28 U.S. states, mostly in the south, but reaching as far north as Pennsylvania, and possibly New Jersey. The bugs have not been spotted in New York. There are 300,000 cases of Chagas in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control, but contracting the disease in the U.S. is still relatively unlikely.

How to prevent nocturnal bugs from forming in your house?

A few steps can be taken to prevent infestation and infection: Seal cracks and gaps around windows, walls, roofs and doors. Remove wood, brush and rock piles near your house. Use screens on doors and windows and repair holes or tears.