Sightings of Triatomine bugs, commonly known as "kissing bugs," have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in more than half of the states and primarily in the Carolinas, Georgia and Texas.
The bug got its name because it normally bites people in the face and lips, which, unfortunately, is a deadly "kiss," as it carries a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi - the source of the deadly Chagas disease.
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, does not have obvious symptoms and sometimes takes years before it takes its toll on the body. The only sign that the bug has bitten a person is a small swelling in one of his or her eyelids.
"[F]ever, headache, enlarged lymph glands, pallor, muscle pain, difficulty in breathing, swelling and abdominal or chest pain," are the possible symptoms that can be felt during the first month that the Chagas disease has entered the body, according to the World Health Organization, Huffington Post reports.
Chagas lodges itself in the tissue and muscle and can lead to heart disease, according to Anil Mangla, assistant director for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, according to USA Today.
To lower possible contamination by these bugs, put up screens in your home to seal possible passageways. For those with pets, keeping them inside would also lessen the chance that they make contact with the bugs, according to AOL.
