What percentage of kissing bugs carry Chagas?

Scientists have found that about 50% of kissing bugs are infected with the Chagas parasite. Kissing bugs are a 'vector' because they can carry a parasite that can make people and animal sick. The parasite is Trypanosoma
Trypanosoma
Trypanosoma is a genus of kinetoplastids (class Trypanosomatidae), a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. Trypanosoma is part of the phylum Sarcomastigophora. The name is derived from the Greek trypano- (borer) and soma (body) because of their corkscrew-like motion.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Trypanosoma
cruzi, and it causes Chagas disease.


Do all kissing bugs carry Chagas disease?

Kissing bugs can carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which can cause Chagas disease. It's important to know that not all kissing bugs are infected with the parasite, and the likelihood of contracting Chagas disease is low.

How common is Chagas disease in USA?

More than 5 million people worldwide have Chagas disease. In the United States, there are estimated to be at least 300,000 cases of chronic Chagas disease among people originally from countries of Latin America where Chagas disease is endemic.


How easy is it to get Chagas?

The person can become infected if T. cruzi parasites in the bug feces enter the body through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. The unsuspecting, sleeping person may accidentally scratch or rub the feces into the bite wound, eyes, or mouth. Accidental laboratory exposure.

Should I be worried about kissing bugs?

Kissing bugs can transmit a parasite that leads to a potentially serious illness called Chagas disease. Most cases of Chagas disease occur in Latin America. Although infection directly from exposure to the kissing bug is rare in the US, it is still important to take steps to prevent kissing bug bites.


Chagas Disease, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment



Does Chagas disease go away?

If untreated, infection is lifelong. Acute Chagas disease occurs immediately after infection, and can last up to a few weeks or months. During the acute phase, parasites may be found in the circulating blood. This phase of infection is usually mild or asymptomatic.

Can Chagas disease be cured?

Treatment. To kill the parasite, Chagas disease can be treated with benznidazole or nifurtimox. Both medicines are nearly 100% effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection at the onset of the acute phase, including the cases of congenital transmission.

Who is most likely to get Chagas?

Risk factors

The following factors may increase your risk of getting Chagas disease: Living in poor rural areas of Central America, South America and Mexico. Living in a residence that contains triatomine bugs. Receiving a blood transfusion or organ transplant from a person who carries the infection.


Should I get tested for Chagas?

A specific test is necessary for the diagnosis of Chagas disease. The test detects the presence of the infection through analysis of a blood sample. Anyone who suspects that they may have Chagas disease should ask their doctor to order this test.

How soon can you test for Chagas?

Because parasitemia peaks during the acute phase of Chagas disease, testing techniques that detect Trypanosoma cruzi within a blood sample (eg, blood smear or polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) can be applied. By contrast, typically few or no parasites are detectable after 8-12 weeks of infection.

How long can you live with Chagas?

About 70-80% of people will remain asymptomatic for life and never develop Chagas-related symptoms. However, an estimated 20–30% of infected people will develop health problems years to decades later that are often fatal.


What states is the kissing bug found in?

Most of the world's kissing bugs are in Central and South America and Mexico. They've also been found in the United States in the lower 28 states, with higher concentrations in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Kissing bugs have been spotted a far north as Delaware, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Why is Chagas a silent disease?

Chagas disease is prevalent among poor populations of continental Latin America but is increasingly being detected in other countries and continents. It is often termed as a “silent and silenced disease” as the infected majority have no symptoms or extremely mild symptom.

How rare is Chagas disease?

Chagas disease is common in parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America where an estimated 8 million people are infected.


How do you test for Chagas?

The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites.

How do you know if you got bit by a kissing bug?

Kissing bugs can cause patches of bites, often around the mouth. The bites are usually painless, but they may swell and look like hives. Itching from the bites may last a week.

What is the mortality rate of Chagas?

Chagas disease causes approximately 10,000 deaths per year globally. Up to 30% of infected people develop symptoms. Chagas disease can cause: Stroke.


How much is a Chagas test?

Results: The cost of Chagas' disease test in the blood bank of Seccional Bolívar was COP$ 37,804 (USD$ 12), and the blood bag and immunohematology test costs were COP$ 25,941 (USD$ 8.2) and COP$ 6,800 (USD$ 2.2), respectively.

Can ivermectin cure Chagas disease?

In conclusion, although ivermectin treatment may have a transient effect on peridomestic populations of Triatominae, it is not the treatment of choice for this situation.

Why do we still have not a vaccine against Chagas disease?

Finally, Chagas disease primarily affects the less privileged segment of our society, and, currently, the transmission is limited to a few geographic areas. Hence, the effort and costs of developing this vaccine maybe not of economic interest to the pharmaceutical industry.


Who should be screened for Chagas?

Women of childbearing age with risk factors and infants born to seropositive mothers deserve special consideration due to the risk of vertical transmission. Diagnostic testing for chronic T. cruzi infection should be conducted using 2 distinct assays.

How many cases of Chagas per year?

In the Americas, Chagas disease show an annual incidence of 30,000 new cases average, 12,000 deaths per year, and 8,600 newborns become infected during gestation. It is estimated that around 70 million people in the Americas live in areas of exposure and are at risk of contracting this disease.

Does Chagas affect the brain?

The involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) during human acute and chronic Chagas disease (CD) has been largely reported. Meningoencephalitis is a frequent finding during the acute infection, while during chronic phase the CNS involvement is often accompanied by behavioral and cognitive impairments.


Does Chagas disease affect the brain?

Chagas disease (CD) remains a major cause of cardiomyopathy and stroke in developing countries. Brain damage in CD has been attributed exclusively to the effects of structural heart disease on the brain, including cardioembolism and low cardiac output symptoms.

What do Chagas bites look like?

Chagomas look red and swollen. If the T. cruzi parasite enters your body through the conjunctiva, it may cause swelling of the upper and lower eyelid. This response is known as Romaña's sign.