6 Facts About 'Deadly Kissing Bugs' Found in Illinois

Triatomine bugs making their way across the country have been reported in Illinois, according to the CDC, in the wake of Texas officials announcing at least 12 people have contracted a potentially fatal illness linked to these creepy crawlers.

Other states include Georgia, California, Alabama and Louisiana, according to a CDC map of triatomine occurrence in the United States. Some of the bugs carry a parasite that is known to cause the potentially fatal Chagas disease. The parasite enters the human body when the bug bites a person and defecates as it feeds.

The “Kissing Mug Mystery of 1899,” according to lore, was responsible for an epidemic of swollen faces and illnesses across the country, or so the newspaper stories of the day held. The truth was something a bit different.

The CDC offers information about the bugs that carry the illness and how to avoid their bites.

Here are six things you need to know about kissing bugs and the disease they sometimes spread:

1. Their nickname comes from their favorite places to bite people – These nocturnal feeders earned their nickname because of their propensity to bite humans around the mouth or eyes to consume blood, according to Texas A&M University. The CDC reports there are 11 different species of the triatomine bug found primarily in the southern United States.
2. The bugs may, or may not, carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease – It’s the parasite, not the bug itself responsible for spreading this potentially fatal condition. The parasite is found in the feces of infected kissing bugs. Infection occurs when a parasite-carrying kissing bug happens to defecate on a victim and the resulting feces finds its way into an open wound. This may occur when a person happens to scratch a bite, accidentally spreading the contaminant. The parasite may also enter the body through mucous membranes, such as the eye or mouth.
3. Contracting Chagas disease from a kissing bug is not easy to do – The CDC notes that “not all triatomine bugs are infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease. The likelihood of getting Chagas disease from a triatomine bug in the United States is low, even if the bug is infected.” Chagas disease can cause heart problems that may eventually lead to cardiac arrest and death, the CDC reports. Not all people develop these symptoms. “The infection may remain silent for decades or even for life.” People who think they may have been bitten by an infected bug, however, are urged to speak with their healthcare providers.
4. Kissing bugs have a few favorite hiding places – People concerned about these blood suckers will find they are typically found underneath porches and cement, in wood piles or under bark, in outdoor dog houses or kennels and in animal burrows.
5. There are ways to keep them out of homes – Folks concerned about the potential for infestations can seal cracks around their homes, remove food and debris piles near their homes, use screens on doors and windows, keep pets indoors at night, keep pet bedding clean and make sure yard lights aren’t close enough to a home to attract the bugs.
6. The bugs should not be touched – The CDC asks people to “not touch or squash” bugs they find. Instead, it’s recommended that they are caught by putting a container on top of them, sliding the bug inside and filling the container with rubbing alcohol. Freezing will work, too. Bugs can be taken to local extension offices, health departments or university labs for identification. Residents may also reach out to parasites@cdc.gov for help in identifying the bugs.

To find out more about kissing bugs, visit the CDC online.

Images courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention