American health officials are sounding the alarm about a previously obscure illness spread by blood-sucking insects called kissing bugs.
“Although there’s no need to panic, our report is raising awareness about an illness that’s been here for a long time and may be more prevalent than suspected,” says one of the authors, Sarah Hamer, PhD, a veterinary ecologist specializing in wildlife disease at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in College Station.
What Is Chagas Disease?
“These blood feeders are lured to their host based on carbon dioxide [the gas we exhale], and the biggest concentration is by the mouth and nose,” says Dr. Hamer.
The insects can carry the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite that causes Chagas disease, which was named after the Brazilian doctor who discovered it, Carlos Chagas. The parasite enters the human body through the feces of the kissing bug, which typically bites and then defecates on a person who is sleeping at night.
Symptoms of Chagas Disease May Take Years to Appear
Most people with Chagas disease don’t experience any immediate symptoms — or if they do, the illness is typically mild and temporary.
- Fever
- Body aches
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Rash around the bite
- Severely swollen eyelid
“It truly is a silent killer,” says Norman Beatty, MD, an associate professor of infectious disease and global medicine at University of Florida Health in Jacksonville and a coauthor of the new report. “It can be several decades before a person develops symptoms, and these are often associated with the heart and can cause heart failure,” he says.
Heart-related symptoms from Chagas disease include:
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fatigue
Chagas disease may also cause delayed digestive issues, including:
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Constipation
- Chest pain
- Bloating
The authors of the new report on Chagas disease caution that dogs are often susceptible to infection, and sometimes cats, too. In Texas, the only state where Chagas disease in animals has been a reportable condition, 431 canine cases were recorded between 2013 and 2015, in addition to 2 infections in cats and 1 in a horse.
Dr. Beatty says it’s unlikely that a pet will bring a kissing bug home on its body because the insects typically bite and then move on. They don’t linger on a body like a tick.
Treatment and Prevention of Chagas Disease
Chagas disease is treatable with antiparasitic medications. Blood tests can confirm the presence of infection.
Identifying Chagas disease promptly is vital, because treatment is most effective early in the course of the illness.
The CDC says that the best way to prevent Chagas disease is to avoid or limit contact with the kissing bug. For those living in areas where Chagas disease may be a problem, public health officials suggest:
- Stay in air-conditioned and screened-in homes.
- Seal cracks and gaps around windows, walls, roofs, and doors.
- Remove wood, brush, and rock piles near your house where kissing bugs may dwell.
- Keep yard lights away from your house, because lights can attract the bug.
- Clean your home regularly.
- Wear clothing that covers your skin and apply bug spray on exposed skin.
- Consider sleeping under bed nets treated with long-lasting insecticide.
“The hope with this report is not to alarm people, but to recognize that we have a disease in the community that is consistently being transmitted to humans, so we can develop a plan to help prevent its transmission,” says Beatty.