They feed on the blood
they suck from their prey.
Animals and juicy humans like you
are in these deadly insects’ diets.
They’re also called assassin bugs,
for a good reason.
And now your house is infested with them.
So what are you going to do?
Kissing bugs are dark in color.
They can be brown or black
and have red or orange spots
on their wings.
They are about 2 cm (.75 in) long
and have cone-shaped heads.
Although their name might sound cute,
they earned it
because they bite humans
around the mouth,
like a kiss.
Or rather a deadly kiss,
as they carry the parasite
that causes Chagas disease.
It can cause a severe infection
that could eventually kill you.
Kissing bugs
are active at night.
So the chances are that
you won’t notice their
presence in your house
until you have an infestation.
They tend to bite people in their sleep,
so mattresses and pillows
are the first places they’ll infest.
Blood on your sheets
warns you
they've moved in.
Their bites are painless,
and you may see patches of them
like hives around your mouth.
To reduce the swelling,
clean the area with water,
apply ice
and a first aid antiseptic
to minimize any itching.
Luckily,
everyone bitten by the murderous
kissing bug
will not get Chagas disease.
The infection comes from their feces,
not the bite.
After the insect feasts on your blood,
it will poop.
If the feces enter your
body through your mouth,
nose or eyes,
you'll get infected.
Another way the dung enters your skin
is if you scratch
or touch the bite area.
In the United States,
more than 300,000 people host the parasite
that causes Chagas disease.
But in Mexico,
Central and South America,
the number goes up to 8 million.
And you can encounter them in
other places.
In Delaware, U.S.,
a kissing bug bit a young
girl on the face.
Her family did the right thing
and called the public health authorities.
Fortunately,
the girl didn’t have other symptoms.
This was the first time authorities identified
a kissing bug in Delaware.
Wherever you are,
beware of these deadly kissers.
If you get infected with the parasite
that causes Chagas disease,
the first few weeks
are the infection's acute phase.
You’ll probably get mild flu-like symptoms,
and you'll feel better
as the number of parasites
in your blood decreases.
But you'll still have parasites in your body,
even if you don't have any symptoms.
This is the chronic phase of the infection.
Up to 30% of people with Chagas disease
experience life-threatening symptoms
even 10 to 25 years after the bite.
You could have an irregular heart rhythm,
an enlarged heart
or a widened esophagus.
Once it gets to the chronic phase,
there’s no cure for the disease.
So you'll need to get treated early.
If you think these bugs have kissed you,
get medical treatment right away.
If you want to get rid of the
infestation yourself,
you can catch the bugs as you see them.
Use a container
so you won’t have to touch them directly.
Make sure you clean
the area with bleach
or an insecticidal solution.
Always check your pets
when they come inside.
If they have bugs,
wear heavy-duty gloves
to remove the insects.
Well done.
You survived a kissing bug infestation.
But put the insecticide down
because it doesn't work
well on this next tiny bloodsucker
that's infesting your home.
But don't worry.
We can help you get rid of those too
here
on How to Survive.