Reduviid Bug Can Transmit Deadly Disease

What kills nearly 50,000 people in South America and Mexico each year? A kiss. Actually, it's a kiss from the Reduviid bug, also known as the kissing bug and the assassin bug. This is how this tiny little bug can kill you: First, it lands on your face and seeks out the soft tissue of your lips.

The next step is to insert his needle-like proboscis into your lip. Sometimes he will stab you several times. He then injects a substance that will make the blood flow freely. After he has fed, he defecates into your mouth, getting the injection sites infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease, which can be fatal.

According to the Wikipedia:

"Symptoms of Chagas disease vary over the course of an infection. In the early, acute stage, symptoms are mild and usually produce no more than local swelling at the site of infection. After it enters the chronic phase after 4-6 weeks individuals can be affected throughout their lifetime. 20-40% of chronically infected individuals will still eventually develop life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders"

So for up to 40% of the illness caused by the Reduviid, the kiss of the bug can be fatal. The Chagas disease is common to Mexico and South America. Rarely, it has been seen in the southern part of the United States. It is one of those diseases that affect poor rural areas. It is estimated that 30 million people in Mexico and South America are infected with Chagas disease.

Some countries that have a problem with the parasitic infection have started spraying to control the insect and prevent transmission, but for those already infected, it is too late.

According to Wikipedia: "In the acute phase of the disease the symptoms include: fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting." after the acute phase comes the chronic phase. In this phase there may be heart problems and problems with the digestive tract.

Diseases that are caused by insects like malaria and certain types of fever have been a serious problem in third world countries for many years. Even here in the United States we have Rocky Mountain Fever and the West Nile Virus. Right now, the solution to preventing the spread of these diseases is to spray chemicals to control the vectors and dry up standing water to eliminate the breeding grounds.

Maybe in the future we can develop more natural forms of control like breeding the natural predators they have. As long as they don't start feeding on humans as well.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas_disease