Do not leave the name in love with the bug of kissing you deceive you. A Bécottage of this insect will not make you blush, but instead, can leave you with a broken heart – literally.
Boisers of bugs (also known as triatomines) are vectors for potentially fatal disease of chagas in the Americas. The disease can only lead to light and pseudo-scrippal symptoms for certain infected individuals, while others will end up undergoing problems of heart and serious digestives of years after the initial infection.
Recently, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published a report that calls the disease, also known as “silent killer”, to be considered endemic to the United States, here is all that you need to know about Chagas disease and why it has become such concern.
How to embrace insects cause Chagas disease
The parasite that causes Chagas, Trypanosoma Cruziis in the excrement of most of the insects of kisses, which have been identified in 32 American states (mainly in the south and the west). Of the 11 species that live in the country, 9 are naturally infected with T. Cruzi. And among these, 4 generally fall into residences, where they will distribute the disease (Triatoms,, T. Gerstaeckeri,, T. ProtractaAnd T. Rubida).
People tend to be infected when one of these insects of oozing rises on their face during sleep, depositing excrement while biting (or “kiss”) around the mouth. Later, the excrement comes into contact with breaks in the skin, mouth or eyes as a person touches it involuntarily, leaving T. Cruzi Enter the body.
The disease can also be transmitted by blood transfusions and organ transplants, from mother to child during pregnancy and food contaminated by T. Cruzi.
Domestic animals, namely dogs, can also get Chagas disease, often after ingesting a kissing bug or its excrement. Symptoms of dog disease include weakness or lethargy and potential heart problems.
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Symptoms of Chagas disease
Chagas disease infection can lead to an acute phase of two months of symptoms that include fever, fatigue, body pain, eruption, loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting. Although it does not appear in all cases, a distinct line of the disease is the sign of Romaña, that is to say when an eyelid swells after the excrement of the kiss bug are rubbed in the eye.
Most people infected with Chagas disease – 70 to 80% – will never show symptoms throughout their lives. But below, around 30% of people who contracted the disease are finally affected by heart problems and around 10% develop gastrointestinal problems.
The symptoms of this chronic phase – which may appear 10 to 20 years after being infected for the first time – include irregular heart rate, heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, stomach pain, constipation and widening of gastrointestinal tract, esophagus and colon.
The acute phase of the disease can be treated with two antiparasitic drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox. Once the disease has reached the chronic phase, these drugs will not be able to cure the disease. At this stage, an infected person may need treatments to tackle any heart or digestive problems that arise.
Endemic in the United States
Chagas disease has an impact on more than 7 million people worldwide, the majority of cases taking place in the rural regions of the 21 countries of Latin America where the kisses bug is considered endemic.
More than 300,000 people in the United States are believed to be infected with the disease. California is a notable hotspot, with around 70,000 to 100,000 cases – experts believe that there could be up to 45,000 people infected in the County of Los Angeles.
In the CDC report, the authors say that there is “a low awareness of the doctors and veterinarians of possible humans and the animal exhibition at T. Cruday,“This led to the under-declaration of Chagas’ disease. Recognizing the disease as endemic in the United States, they say, perhaps what it takes to finally draw attention to this threat of public health which has become neglected.
This article does not offer medical advice and should be used for information purposes only.
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