[ad_1]
A tiny insect with a potentially deadly bite (or "kiss") continues to spread on the east coast of the United States.
The last confirmed case was confirmed in Delaware last week;
Insects can carry a deadly disease called Chagas, although the chances of contracting it are low. https://t.co/wnHzZlIvfO pic.twitter.com/xrkq9Tgfxf
– USA TODAY & # 39; HUI (@USATODAY) April 24, 2019
The American Heart Association recently released a report on the rise of the small insect in the southern states.
According to the report, a number of triatomine insect species (or "huggers") are spreading Chagas disease in southern states. "Chagas disease, caused by infection with a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi), causes chronic heart disease in about one-third of those infected. Over the last 40 years, Chagas disease has spread to areas where it was not seen before, " the notes of the report.
There are at least two species of 'kissing bugs' from North Carolina: Triatoma sanguisuga and T. lecticularia.
The "kissing virus" bites sleepy people on the face, usually near the eyes or mouth, hence the nickname. Insects then defecate at the site of the bite, essentially injecting their feces into the wound. If the virus has been infected with T. cruzi, an infection with Chagas disease will ensue.
According to the CDC, Acute Chagas disease occurs immediately after infection, can last up to a few weeks or months and parasites can be detected in circulating blood. The infection may be mild or asymptomatic. There may be fever or swelling around the site of inoculation (where the parasite has entered the skin or mucous membranes). In rare cases, an acute infection can lead to severe inflammation of the heart muscle or brain and the surrounding membranes.
After the acute phase, most infected persons enter a prolonged asymptomatic form of disease (called "Chronically Indeterminate") during which few or no parasites are in the blood. During this time, most people are not aware of their infection. Many people may remain asymptomatic for life and never develop Chagas-related symptoms. However, an estimated 20-30% of those infected will develop debilitating and sometimes life-threatening medical conditions.
Complications of chronic Chagas disease may include:
- heart rhythm abnormalities that can cause sudden death;
- an enlarged heart that does not pump blood well;
- an enlarged esophagus or colon, causing difficulty eating or losing bowel movements.
Infectious "kissing bugs" tend to live in damp, dark indoor spaces, in cracks and in substandard housing holes or in a variety of outdoor environments, including:
- Under the porches
- Between rock structures
- Under cement
- In rock, wood, heaps of undergrowth or under bark
- In rodent nests or animal burrows
- In niches or outdoor kennels
- In poultry houses or houses
The CDC notes that pyrethrin sprays have been shown to be effective in eliminating bedbug infestations around homes and outbuildings.
There are many look-alikes, including non-triatomine reducing bugs, that do not feed on human blood. They include the bug and the western corsair. Some plant bugs, such as leaf bug, also look like triatomine.
If you think you have encountered an insect that kisses, lock it in a glass or plastic container, avoiding touching it. You can then fill the container with alcohol or freeze it, then bring the virus to the health department in your area or to your university lab for proper identification.
comments
[ad_2]
Source link