- Comments:
- The common, rain forest, blood sucking, winged, triatomine bug (Reduviid or "kissing" bug) carries the
flagellate protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes the Chagas (SHA-gus) disease. The
bug bite allows the parasite to enter the bloodstream of humans, monkeys, armadillos and rodents.
The most common symptom is unilateral swelling; usually one eye swells shut. The victim may
survive the acute stage of high fever and then after a silent chronic stage of several years may
progressively become ill and die from irreversible damage to internal organs and the nervous system.
These bugs are most active at night and hide in dark areas; common in mud/adobe houses.
They are attracted to CO2 in breath and then bite and defecate in wound. Feces can also be rubbed into
eyes or scratches to transmit the disease ( Gilles 2000);
(see also).
The physical features of the bug appear to match those of the Nasca vessel image having a
triangular body with multiple legs (the rear ones surround the pointed end of the insect's body) and a long,
cone-shaped nose.
|
