Is Chagas disease common in Texas?

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Is Chagas disease common in Texas?

Chagas in Texas From the years 2013-2016, 91 cases of Chagas disease were reported in Texas. Of those cases, 20 people were infected while in Texas, and the other cases were probably acquired outside of Texas or the U.S. While there are not very many cases, many people may be living with the disease and not know it.

Do assassin bugs transmit Chagas?

The kissing bug belongs to the Reduviidae family of insects. This family is also referred to as assassin bugs. But this family of bugs doesn’t get the name “assassin” because it transmits Chagas disease (also known as kissing bug disease).

Where are kissing bugs located in Texas?

Kissing bugs are nocturnal, blood-feeding insects that can fly. They mostly are seen during warmer months around dog kennels, woodpiles, cracks and crevasses, rock piles, beneath wooden decks, hunting cabins, deer blinds, under tree bark and in outdoor sheds or patios. They are sometimes attracted to outdoor lights.

Do assassin bugs live in Texas?

assassin bug. Most species of assassin bugs are gray to black or brownish in color, though some are brightly colored. Zelus is a common genus with several species in Texas. The milkweed assassin bug, Zelus longipes, is the most distinctive species.

Which assassin bugs carry Chagas?

Triatomine bugs are a type of reduviid bug that can carry Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease.

How do you tell if a bug is a kissing bug?

Kissing bugs may be hard to identify, as they appear similar to many other bugs in the U.S. Some key characteristics include:

  1. a long, oval shaped body with six legs.
  2. a thin, cone shaped head with long antennae.
  3. a light brown to black body.
  4. yellowish to red or tan markings on their bodies.

Where is Chagas disease found?

People who have Chagas disease can be found anywhere in the world. However, transmission of the disease by kissing bugs (vectorborne transmission), only occurs in the Americas. Most people with Chagas disease became infected in rural areas of Mexico, Central America, and South America.