Throughout the years, bugs called “kissing bugs,” coined this term because they are known to bite your face/mouth area, have migrated north from South America, and with them, they bring diseases and a lack of personal space!
Since 2017, these pests have been found in Iowa, with the first being found in Lee County, roughly 150 miles from Polk County. They carry a deadly disease called Chagas disease, which, according to asm.org, kills more than 10,000 people per year.
Symptoms of Chagas disease can come in two phases. In the acute, or beginning phase, symptoms can include fever, fatigue, body aches, and swelling around the eyes. On the other hand, the chronic phase, or end phase, leads to serious heart and digestive problems, often without noticeable symptoms for years. Kissing bugs have been known to carry this deadly disease since the 20th century and are largely avoided because of this.
As of recently, though, these bugs have been known to cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is a severe form of pneumonia, as well as Pontiac fever, which is milder. The bacteria that cause this disease are typically found in soil and water, and those infected usually catch it by inhaling mist containing the bacteria…