What Is Chagas Disease?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
3. The Triatomine Bug
Triatominae is a bug that is found in Southern and Central America and in some southern American states. They are also known as the vampire bug for their habit of feeding on blood. Another name for them is the kissing bug, a name given for their habit of feeding and leaving bite marks around people’s mouths.
In addition to spreading Chagas disease, their bites can also result in anaphylactic shock in some individuals, but this is rare. There are at least 130 species of the bug but only a few pose a threat to people. They tend to share shelter with their hosts, coming out of hiding to feed when hungry.
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