Killer kissing bug: what it looks like, where it lives, what is the danger of a bite, Chagas disease

Triatomine bug: habitat and characteristic features

Insects prefer warm climates. For this reason, they are found predominantly in Central South American countries. Some species are found in remote areas of Australia, Africa, and Asia. The insects received unofficial (folk) names: “gentle killer”, “kissing bug”.

This is due to the fact that they make an invisible bite that can lead to death.

Insects injure the mucous membrane in the corners of the lips, which contributed to the receipt of such an unusual name.

Pests have significant differences from their harmless counterparts of other families. There are about 130 species of such bugs. Representatives of each of them have individual characteristics. But common features are also noted. Triatomine bugs are characterized by external signs:

• body length – up to 3.5 cm;
• 3 pairs of limbs;
• the color is most often brown, some individuals have orange forewings, others have red stripes, and black pests are also found;
• head cone-shaped;
• there are larger eyes on the sides;

• the proboscis of the oral apparatus is long and strong, which allows the insect to pierce even the tougher outer coverings of animals;
• the body is expanded towards the rear end, due to which it acquires a pear-shaped shape;
• the limbs are smooth, there are no villi or spines.

Triatomine bug - an exotic insect

Countries where the kissing bug lives

The pest can be found in the USA, Mexico, and exotic countries.

However, there are known cases of its single appearance in Eurasia, but the insect gets there not purposefully, but by accident - along with the things of travelers.

Countries where the risk of contact with the pest is highest are noted:

• Ecuador;
• Salvador;
• Brazil;
• Belize;
• Argentina;
• Colombia;
• Bolivia;
• Costa Rica;
• French Guiana;

• Panama;
• Paraguay;
• Peru;
• Suriname;
• Guatemala;
• Mexico;
• Honduras;
• Nicaragua;
• Venezuela.

Countries of residence

How to identify a kissing bug

The pest has a number of characteristic features that are unique to it. This allows you to quickly navigate when encountering insects. Triatomine bugs stand out from the rest. Main features:

• body shape: many bugs of other species have an oval body, quite wide with a small ridge on the pronotum, which makes the insect look like a shield, there are also pests that have a bridge that divides the body into 2 parts, while the triatomine pest has a solid, narrow body ;

• the head is elongated, with a powerful proboscis;
• lack of villi on the body;
• Often there are kissing bugs with bright outer covers (with patterns of red-black, red-orange), but there are also inconspicuous individuals (brown shades).

The kissing bug has a flat and elongated body

What insects are kissing bugs most often confused with?

Despite the pronounced differences, some people are still unsure who exactly is in front of them when they encounter this dangerous pest. It is necessary to compare it with individuals of the species that are most similar in external characteristics:

1. Bed parasites. Their body size is much smaller - up to 8 mm, the body is segmented, there are 3 pairs of limbs and 1 pair of antennae. The mouthparts are less powerful and the head is rounded. Moreover, the outer covers are transparent, their color changes from light brown to black-red (after eating). Such insects live near a person’s sleeping place and purposefully do not crawl out into the street.
2. American maple beetles. The triatomine bug has more similar features to them. But the body of the beetle is smaller than that of the kissing pest, the eyes are distinctly red, and the head is rounded. The body of such an insect is also flat, but the central part is recessed relative to the edges. The color and pattern of the outer covers are also different. They are herbivores, but can be found in human homes. They only come there to warm themselves when there are temperature changes outside.
3. Wheel beetles are predators that destroy various insects. Triatomine bugs are similar in appearance to them: body shape, color. However, wheel beetles have a significant difference - a ridge-shaped growth on the head and body. It is located longitudinally. Thiatom insects do not have this feature; the back is smooth. Both types of pests are dark in color.
4. The diamondback bug is a type of bug. It is similar to triatomine in body shape and color. However, on the back of the diamondback there is a small protrusion in the area of ​​the pronotum. In addition, the triatomine bug is known for its narrow, long head. In the diamondback it is round, coming out directly from the pronotum.
5. Regional workers. Main similarities: body length; flat back. However, the hind limbs of the crayfish are very thick, which will not allow it to be mistaken for a triatomine pest upon closer examination.
6. Shield insect. This is another type of bug, it is distinguished by its average body size - up to 13 mm (determined by the type of insect). However, in body shape and color (brown), the pest resembles a triatomine insect.

Sometimes killer bugs are confused with stink bugs

What does it look like

Belonging to the Coleoptera family, the triatomine kissing bug is large or medium in size. The insect has an oblong elongated body (up to 30 mm), a conical head, and wings, with the help of which it can freely move to the desired distance.

Compared to a bed bug, its legs and elongated jaws are longer.

Based on the physiological characteristics, bite marks from kissing bugs are larger in size than those of ordinary bed bugs. It is worth noting that despite the impressive size of the mouthparts, it consumes much less blood than a regular bed bug.

Triatomine bugs lay eggs during warm periods. After the nymphs emerge from them, the insect undergoes 4 periods of molting before an adult is formed. Throughout their lives, parasites feed exclusively on blood.

Possessing an excellent sense of smell, bedbugs easily find their prey (animals or humans). The feeding apparatus is designed in such a way that the kissing bug cannot bite through too dense areas of the victim’s skin.

Therefore, during the hunt, insects try to find the most delicate areas of the skin; their bites are often found around the lips and eyes.

Developmental stages, reproduction and life cycle of the kissing bug

Such pests go through several stages of formation:

• egg;
• juveniles;
• imago (sexually mature individual).

Pests of this species skip the pupation stage, which means they are insects with an incomplete transformation cycle.

The duration of development inside the egg is 1-3 weeks, which is determined by environmental conditions. For example, in a more comfortable (warm) climate, insects develop faster.

The first instar larvae barely reach 2 mm. They develop slowly - in 5 stages. On each one, the young individual undergoes a molt. The duration of the transition is on average 2 weeks. It is noteworthy that at the initial stage of development the bug does not have wings. They appear closer to the transition to the last stage of development. Such pests live on average 2 years.

Triatomine bug eggs

How to find out that a kissing bug has settled nearby

First, bites are found on the body. Moreover, such insects make several punctures of the outer integument during one meal. This ability is acquired by individuals during the development period (larvae of the last instars), as well as by adults (they bite 2 times).

The kissing bug is found in shelters near a person’s sleeping place, because this makes it easier for them to reach the victim.

They hide under a pillow or mattress. Another sign is the appearance of small red or darker spots on the laundry. These are traces of insect activity.

Kissing bug bite

What to do if you find a kissing bug in your home

It is important to prevent contact with such a pest in time.

The kissing bug can fly; it can take to the air at the slightest threat.

At the same time, it is impossible to predict the trajectory of the insect. To avoid an accidental collision with him, you need to act slowly and carefully. If such a pest appears in your field of vision, you should place it in a hermetically sealed container. But under no circumstances should you pick up a bedbug with your hands without protective equipment. If possible, wear gloves made of dense material, for example, garden rubber ones.

It is advisable to take the insect to a special service. This will allow you to check if the bedbug is infected. Such insects are carriers of the dangerous Chagas disease, another name for it is trypanosomiasis. To reduce the risk of infection (if the insect is indeed a carrier of harmful microorganisms), you need to treat the surface where the bug was located with aggressive cleaning agents, for example, Domestos, Belizna.

It is advisable to bring the insect to the laboratory

Damage from a bedbug

The kissing killer itself is not dangerous; its metabolic products, that is, excrement containing intracellular organisms - trypanosomes, pose a threat to the lives of people and animals. While feeding, bedbugs often defecate near the bite. The person begins to comb the damaged area and brings the bug droppings into the fresh wound, through which the parasites enter his body, where they immediately begin to actively reproduce.

To protect yourself from trypanosome infection, every traveler planning to tour the countries of South America should know the following basic precautions:

1. It is better to sleep outdoors or in the house under a canopy made of mosquito nets with small holes.
2. You need to go for a walk in closed clothes and shoes, and don’t forget about hats.
3. It is better to avoid excursions to areas with dilapidated houses and buildings made of clay.
4. It is worth spraying things and skin with repellents: they will repel insects. Use special repellents to protect against triatomine bug bites
5. It is better to avoid using perfumes and eau de toilette, as parasites are attracted to strong odors.
6. You cannot take off your shoes to walk barefoot on the grass. Even if the clearing seems clean, it may not be so.
7. It is better to avoid dense bushes and trees.
8. Avoid approaching animal burrows and bird nests, or turning over large rocks.
9. Staying outside at night is quite dangerous.
10. All doors and windows should be closed at night.

If, nevertheless, the bug managed to bite someone, you need to treat the wound as quickly as possible with some kind of disinfectant or antiseptic. Under no circumstances should you scratch it! Also, do not rinse the bite with water from nearby sources or apply plant leaves or grass to it.

A physician from Brazil, Carlos Chagas, learned that trypanosomes are often found in the intestines of triatomine bugs. He discovered this while examining infected patients, after which he independently examined and described this infection, so it received the name Chagas disease.

In this video you will learn more about bedbugs:

The danger of kissing bugs to humans

Pests provoke the development of an allergy to the enzyme introduced into the blood when they bite. Approximately 7% of victims exhibit characteristic symptoms. However, there is a more significant danger - the development of Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis. This is an infectious disease. Its development is provoked by protozoan microorganisms - Trypanosoma cruzi (name in Latin), this is a relative of African protozoa, which is the cause of sleeping sickness. They enter the body in a variety of ways, including blood transfusions. Often, such single-celled protozoa are spread through bedbugs.

The danger to humans lies in the high risk of damage to various organs and systems. However, not all infected people develop symptoms. Many people are carriers of single-celled organisms, but do not know it. In severe cases (when the disease is advanced), complications develop that are difficult to eliminate. In this case, changes occur in the structure of tissues that are irreversible, which means that it is impossible to restore the original properties of these organs. Surgery may be required to treat complications, but this may not always help the patient survive.

The pest carries Chagas disease

Photo gallery: triatomine bugs - carriers of Chagas disease

Adult killer bug

Parasite on the human body

The pest has a powerful proboscis

Symptoms of Chagas disease infection

The duration of the incubation period is 1-3 weeks, less often – up to 7-8 weeks. In this case, there are no symptoms. Chagas disease develops in stages. There are acute and chronic forms.

Each of them differs in the severity of the patient's condition.

In the first phase, the disease is asymptomatic

Acute phase

People with hypersensitivity develop complications after the end of the incubation period:

• temperature up to 39-40°C;
• body aches;
• muscle pain;
• rash;
• swelling of certain areas that are affected, often accompanied by puffiness of the face, swollen eyes, lips, nose - depending on where the killer bug bit;

• swelling of the lower extremities;
• lymphadenitis;
• children develop meningoencephalitis, which leads to rapid death;
• the functioning of the cardiovascular system is disrupted, while the tissues of the heart muscle become inflamed and the chambers of the heart enlarge;
• the nervous system is affected.

Swelling after a kissing bug bite

Chronic phase

In this case, signs appear only after irreversible changes occur in the body.

Chagas disease develops at this stage for a long time - sometimes up to several decades.

Signs may be subtle. At the same time, irreversible processes develop in the body:

• the ventricles of the heart enlarge;
• intestinal obstruction is noted against the background of proliferation of its sections; other organs of the digestive tract may also change;
• the spleen and liver are affected, which leads to nonspecific symptoms.

Nonspecific symptoms of Chagas disease

Table: characteristic signs and symptoms of Chagas disease at different stages

The occurrence of certain manifestations does not always suggest a pathological condition. The table summarizes the symptoms that characterize Chagas disease at different stages.

Dizziness is one of the late signs of the disease

Diagnosis of trypanosomiasis

When the acute form of the disease develops, there are a lot of protozoa in the blood. When the chronic stage appears, the main factor is the presence of antibodies. Methods of blood testing to confirm the presence of single-celled organisms in the human body:

• PCR;
• serological study;
• microscopy of blood or tissue of affected organs is a sufficient diagnostic method for the acute form.

Blood test

Treating a bite at home

In addition to the fact that a person can be bitten by a triatomine bug, there are other ways of infection:

• through poorly washed products;
• from mother to child during childbirth, during breastfeeding;
• during blood transfusion.

Since the chronic stage of the disease can last from several months to ten years, the following drugs are used for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and heart muscle:

• Nufutrimox;
• Benzidazole.

Depending on the symptoms and degree of damage, doctors prescribe symptomatic and pathogenic therapy. If the disease is protracted, medications aimed at combating parasites have no effect, so the main treatment is aimed at restoring vital organs.

Modern medications are also used for treatment, blocking the vital activity and reproduction of parasites in the body.

How to treat Chagas disease

The likelihood of a complete cure is low. Therapies only minimize the likelihood of a rapid death. However, intracellular forms of protozoa are difficult to influence.

When Chagas disease develops, symptoms appear rapidly in the acute phase; drugs may be prescribed: Benznidazole, Nifurtimox.

They are considered the most effective today. In the chronic stage, symptomatic treatment is carried out: signs of heart failure, intestinal obstruction, enlarged spleen, etc. are eliminated or smoothed out as much as possible.

Drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease

Treating a bite at home

When a Triatomine bug attacks, you need to understand how to behave, since the rate of development of complications often depends on this. Recommendations for the bite of such a pest that will help alleviate the victim’s condition until contacting a doctor:

• wash the wounds with soap and water, then with an antiseptic;
• Ice is applied to the bite site, but not on the skin, but first a compress is made from fabric;
• if an arm or leg is injured, it needs to be raised, which will reduce swelling;

• Do not scratch the rash; if the bite site itches, you can treat it with Calamine;
• If signs of allergy appear, take antihistamines.

If the skin near the bite site is not scratched or injured, there is a chance to prevent the development of Chagas disease.

To do this, it is recommended to keep the skin intact; the appearance of scratches where the bug defecated (this is how protozoa get onto the epidermis) will open the way for harmful microorganisms.

Calamine for itching from bites

What symptoms should you urgently go to hospital for?

At different stages of the development of the disease, signs of severe complications may appear:

• severe swelling, especially in the mouth area, because the area where the tissue is enlarged may increase and descend towards the larynx;

• shortness of breath, difficulty breathing;
• allergy;
• fainting;
• extensive rash, diarrhea, vomiting.

If the victim cannot move independently (severe weakness, impaired heart function), call an ambulance.

Persistent vomiting is a reason to consult a doctor

Treatment of bites

Chagas disease has several stages:

• acute lasts about 2 months, can occur without the manifestation of the above symptoms;
• The chronic phase is characterized by the development and proliferation of parasites in the heart muscle and digestive system, resulting in the gradual destruction of vital organs.

Treatment of the disease is possible if it is detected in the acute stage. If the process of disease development enters the chronic stage, cure is impossible. There are only methods for prolonging life that alleviate the patient’s condition.

Prevention of triatomine bug bites

Insects of this species prefer to live in unfurnished adobe buildings, so it is necessary to improve living conditions whenever possible. There are a few more recommendations:

• home surfaces are treated with long-acting insecticides;
• if you plan to undergo a blood transfusion or organ transplantation, you must first get tested;

• you need to hang a canopy over the bed;
• Products should be subjected to thorough heat treatment, and food should also be stored, provided that all basic rules are followed.

Such measures will help protect against insects in countries with hot climates.

Triatomine insects do not live in Russia, which means there is no threat.

The canopy will protect against killer bugs

Drawing conclusions

The kissing bug is considered one of the most dangerous insects in the world. It is a fairly large representative of its kind. It is a carrier of Chagas disease pathogens. Tryponasomes living in the human body slowly kill their host.

But this can be avoided if you seek help from a doctor in time. A minute of delay will shorten your life by several years.

Also read the article - Which insects are considered dangerous in Thailand and what you need to know about them

Reviews from people

Anna, 31 years old, Penza

We went to South America and saw such a monster there. But we were lucky that the bug was not looking at us, we quickly left. It was evening, and this insect crawled out into the light.

Valeria, 38 years old, Moscow

I haven’t been bitten by the triatomine bug, but I know a person who contracted Chagas disease—a friend who lives in Australia. She was found to have antibodies to these protozoa. But so far there are no symptoms (5 years have passed).

Varvara, 32 years old, Kerch

Some kind of beetle crawled into the house on vacation. We were frightened and thought it was a triatomine pest. It also has a narrow, dark-colored body. But one of our people (we were vacationing with a group) in the subject suggested that this is a completely different insect. But for a long time I could not walk on the grass and sleep without a canopy.

Caution should be exercised in kissing bug habitats

Where do they live?

The largest number of dangerous individuals is found in South and Central America. They live in the natural environment (animal burrows, trees, etc.), but some individuals settle in close proximity to residential buildings.

The danger posed by the insect is not exaggerated. The fact is that the kissing bug is a carrier of the most terrible parasitic disease - Chagas disease (Chagas). Every year the number of cases increases, which indicates the constant development of parasites.

Expert advice

Evgeniya Vitalievna Marinina, entomologist, 16 years of work experience:

Marinina Evgenia Vitalievna

Entomologist, researcher. Work experience 16 years.

• I have not personally observed such pests, but I know that they are active at night, like many other parasites, so you need to secure your resting place; • when a bug bites, you need to immediately wash the skin, this will reduce the number of protozoa, after which you can already apply a cold compress, since its main task is to reduce swelling, it does not disinfect; • bedbugs of this species do not specifically hunt people, they usually live next to representatives of animals, climb into their nests, but if a person is nearby, the insect may be interested in this opportunity, so you should not relax in tropical countries.

Insects do not deliberately hunt people

Danger for adults and children

The greatest danger when contacting parasites is allergies, which can lead to the development of anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema, and respiratory failure. For children, bedbug bites are more dangerous due to the strong reaction of the fragile body. General signs may appear, including a rash all over the body. Severe itching also causes harm. A bitten person scratches the spots, scratches appear, and the risk of secondary infection increases.

.Other possible hazards:

• edema;
• hyperemia;
• breathing problems;
• fainting;
• nausea.

It is impossible to protect yourself from bedbug bites. If they live in an apartment, night attacks will continue until all parasites are destroyed.