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A bug that can carry a serious parasite and has been found in Delaware also has a presence in Maryland. But entomologists say it should not spark alarm among Maryland residents.
Triatomine bugs – also known as "kissing bugs" – can carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease, a condition that can lead to severe heart and gastrointestinal complications. Last July, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Delaware Department of Agriculture identified last week, according to news reports.
The bugs, which are nicknamed for their propensity to bite near people's lips, also live in Maryland. But they do not pose a huge threat to local residents.
"We're not concerned about them," said Gaye Williams, an entomologist with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. "People should be excited about their deer ticks and Lyme [disease]. "
Although kissing bugs can be painful and cause allergic reactions, the likelihood of contracting Chagas disease is a low, according to the CDC.
Kissing bugs typically live in southern U.S., as well as Central and South America. There are 11 known species of kissing bugs in the U.S., according to the CDC. Two of them are found in Maryland, Williams said.
The adult bugs are black or dark brown with orange, yellow or red stripes that line the perimeter of their abdomen and a checkerboard-like pattern on their backs. The bugs can grow to be a little larger than a penny.
They are more interesting than the disease they can potentially carry, Williams said.
"When I get excited, but that would be me," she said.
Triatomines are nocturnal and feed on the blood of mammals (including humans), birds and reptiles. And that 's when they can transmit the parasite that causes Chagas disease to their hosts. That parasite – Trypanosoma cruzi – lives in the bugs' intestines. The parasites are most often transmitted to humans through the kissing bug feces.
Bugs carry the parasite, according to a research team at the Texas A & M University that studies Chagas disease and kissing bugs.
Chagas disease is marked by two phases – acute and chronic. Both phases may be causing symptoms or life-threatening complications, the CDC says.
During the acute phase, symptoms may include fever, fatigue, aching, rash, appetite loss, diarrhea and vomiting. Spleen, tassels, eyelids or the cock site, according to the CDC.
Symptoms are rare during the chronic phase, the CDC says, but they can include an enlarged heart, heart failure, cardiac arrest and altered heart rhythm. Gastrointestinal problems can include a swollen esophagus or colon, making it difficult to eat or defecate.
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