North Central Health District

COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

Kissing Bugs

Posted November 25, 2015 by NCHD Admin

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Kissing bugs have actually been here awhile; the first such bug reported in the United States being found in Georgia in 1855.   Triatome bugs pick up the Chagas parasite when they blood feed on an infected person.  The parasite goes through changes in the insect and ends up in the hind gut.  The central and south American triatome species defecate while feeding, shedding parasites in their feces.  When the person being fed on scratches the bug bite, they inoculate themselves with the parasites.  The triatome bugs in this part of the world don’t tend to defecate when they blood feed.

Also, there are no large numbers of people with Chagas disease living in a group in the US, so it is hard for the bug to find a person to feed on that had Chagas so that the bug can become infected.  Finally, our houses are not conducive for harboring triatome bugs.  This is a bigger bug than a bed bug.  It needs big cracks and crevices to live in.  It would be noticed.   Please don’t bring the bugs to your local health department.

Georgia Department of Public Health has received no reports of illnesses due to the “kissing bugs”. Currently the Public Health labs do not test for species identification. Report any illness that you think may have resulted from contact with a “kissing bug” to your regular health care provider.

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