Is the kissing bug in Texas?

In the U.S., kissing bugs live in many southern states. There are 11 different kinds of kissing bugs in the U.S. Most of the reports of the different kissing bugs have come from Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. Kissing bugs have been found and documented in the U.S. as early as the mid-1800s.

Are kissing bugs in Texas dangerous?

The main risk associated with these insects is that they carry Chagas disease, which could be fatal for you or your pet. According to AgriLife researchers, symptoms of the disease include the following: Fever.

What bug looks like a kissing bug?

Conenose bugs
Conenose bugs (Triatoma species) are insects that feed on the blood of various wild animals, particularly rodents. Mammals are their most common hosts but they will occasionally feed on birds and reptiles. Other names for these insects are “kissing bugs” or “bloodsucking conenose bugs”.

What do you do if you find a kissing bug in your house?

If you find a kissing bug, the CDC recommends you do not touch or squash it. To help understand the problem and how many carry the disease, the CDC is asking for help. They suggest you place a container on top of the kissing bug for 24 hours, and then seal the bug inside the container.

What should you do if you get bit by a kissing bug?

You can:

1. Wash the bites with soap to lower the chance of infection.
2. Use calamine lotion or an anti-itch cream to stop the itching. You can also hold an oatmeal-soaked washcloth on the itchy area for 15 minutes.
3. Use an ice pack to stop the swelling.
4. See your doctor if you think the bite may be infected.

Where do kissing bugs lay their eggs?

Bugs can hide in cracks and crevices in the mattress, bed frame, and box spring. They can spread into cracks and crevices in the room and lay their eggs.

Where do kissing bugs hide?

Kissing bugs are found in warm southern states of the U.S. and in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Kissing bugs can hide in cracks and holes in beds, floors, walls, and furniture. They are most likely to be found: Near places where a pet, such as a dog or cat, spends time.

What happens if you get bit by a kissing bug?

Some people are allergic to kissing bug saliva. The skin near the bite might become red, swollen, and itchy. The most serious risk is anaphylactic shock. That’s when your blood pressure drops and you have trouble breathing.

Where can you find kissing bugs in the United States?

Eleven different kinds of kissing bugs are in the United States. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona are the states with the most different species and most findings of kissing bugs. Scientists have found that about 50% of kissing bugs are infected with the Chagas parasite. Three species of kissing bugs that can be found in Texas.

Why are kissing bugs a vector for Chagas disease?

Kissing bugs are a ‘vector’ because they can carry a parasite that can make people and animal sick. The parasite is Trypanosoma cruzi, and it causes Chagas disease. The number of infected kissing bugs varies from location to location. A parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease.

What are the symptoms of kissing bug disease?

After the T. cruzi parasite enters the body, the acute phase can last for a few weeks or months. During the acute phase, some people experience symptoms like fever, tiredness, body aches, headache, rash, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or vomiting.

How are kissing bugs transmitted from host to host?

Kissing bugs can transmit the parasite to hosts by biting and subsequently defecating near the site of the bite. The parasites live in the digestive tract of the bugs and are shed in the bug feces. When infectious bug fecal material contaminates the mucous membranes or the site of a bug bite on a mammal, transmission of the parasite can occur.