Kissing Bugs: The Rise of the Chagas Disease
By Zoe Rodriguez
It starts with a kiss, not a romantic one, however. A tiny bite while you’re sleeping can change your life forever. Who’s to blame? The triatomine bug, or more commonly, the kissing bug.
So how does this little bug change the course of your life? Well, kissing bugs can carry a parasite named Trypanosoma Cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. This silent but deadly disease can be in your body for years before you even experience a symptom.
Much like a mosquito, these bugs bite you to feed on your blood. However, their disease doesn’t get transmitted to you through the bite; it’s actually spread through their feces.
After the kissing bug feeds on a person’s blood, it defecates near the bite, now an open wound. The parasite then enters the body when the person scratches the bite and rubs their eyes or touches their mouth. Chagas disease is also able to spread through contaminated food, organ transplants, blood, or pregnancy.
An estimated over 6 million people worldwide are being affected by Chagas disease, primarily in South America, and most recently in the southern U.S. states like Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee. Although these are some of the states that have confirmed cases of the disease, kissing bugs have been found widespread across the United States, including Florida.
“I’d say it’s very concerning. Although these bugs haven’t been found in all states, non-native species are constantly being introduced into ecosystems through human activities. Therefore, there’s no doubt that this can affect us sooner than later. Not only will it affect us, but it will also disrupt our ecosystem if the kissing bugs prey on other animals, which could cause a huge shift in biodiversity,” said sophomore Isabella Henriquez.
Chagas was once confined to extremely unpopulated areas of the Americas, but due to population migration, most bugs now live in largely populated areas like cities. Now, the disease has been detected in over 40 countries around the globe.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers Chagas a neglected tropical disease, which is commonly overlooked, despite possibly causing huge health risks. Their article on the disease even states that Chagas causes more than 10,000 deaths per year, yet it’s still not regular protocol to test for it.
In Latin America, Chagas is one of the main causes of heart disease, which begs the question of why most doctors in the United States don’t check for it. Why wait for it to become an epidemic in the U.S. when you can take preventative measures? It’s especially confusing because it can be cured in its early stages by using medicines like nifurtimox or benznidazole.
Yet, many people in the U.S. don’t even know about Chagas disease, and may find out too late. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, have stated that an estimated 280,000 people in the U.S. have Chagas, most likely without their knowledge. Many don’t find out until they try to donate blood, as the U.S. checks all blood donors for Chagas.
“I believe that Chagas disease, while it is something that can be very dangerous because it’s not always treatable and reversible, shouldn’t necessarily be something we test on the regular, like for example, your annual blood analysis,” said Keisy Arias, current Sophomore nursing student at MLEC, after doing some research on the subject.
The reason lots of people aren’t aware they might have it is because Chagas is considered a silent disease. This means that most, if not all, of its early symptoms can be attributed to other sicknesses and usually go away after a few weeks. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, fevers, headaches, vomiting, rashes, aching, chronic tiredness, and loss of appetite.
If left untreated, this disease can cause long-term effects that damage your heart and digestive system, like heart failure, heart rhythm problems, chronic constipation, difficulty swallowing, and an enlarged heart. It also severely increases the risk of suddenly going into cardiac arrest.
Now that kissing bugs are a problem, people are looking for ways to deter them. Eliminating still water has always been a strategy to get rid of mosquitoes. Similarly, to get rid of kissing bugs, attempt to remove wood piles. These insects see stacks of wood and don’t mind making it their brand-new home.
Kissing bugs don’t only target humans; they’re also not afraid to target our furry friends. Chagas can infect over 150 species of mammals, including but not limited to dogs, cats, monkeys, rats, armadillos, opossums, horses, and raccoons.
Dogs are most likely to show symptoms while infected. They range from subtle hints like chronic tiredness, pale gums, and weight loss, to more severe signs like fainting spells, vomiting, and exercise intolerance. Dogs may also experience sudden death while in the first stages of the disease; however, if they’ve passed the initial phase, then this will not occur. Like humans, dogs may also develop heart failure if the parasite continues to multiply within the heart.
As awareness of Chagas disease slowly grows, along with it grows the need to understand how it truly impacts us. What may begin as what seems to be a harmless bite may lead to significant consequences in the future. The kissing bug has been brought to new areas, including the United States, bringing with it its disease.
Despite affecting millions of people around the world, this disease continues to be underdiagnosed, mostly due to a lack of awareness and testing. With symptoms that usually don’t get noticed until it’s too late, Chagas is a reminder that dangers don’t always come from where you expect them.
