MEXICAN BED BUG

KISSING BUG
Triatoma sanguisuga
Taxonomic Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Reduviidae
Subfamily: Triatominae
Genus: Triatoma
Species: T. sanguisuga
Triatoma sanguisuga
Triatoma sanguisuga, also known as the Eastern
Bloodsucking Conenose or the Mexican Bed Bug, is
an insect of the Triatominae subfamily, known
as kissing bugs. Like other species in this
subfamily, T. sanguisuga is known to bite and feed
off of humans at the mouth during sleep. This bite is
painful and can cause adverse effects such as
swelling, feelings of faintness, nausea, and vomiting.
 Geographic Range and Habitat
Triatoma sanguisuga is found in the
southeastern United States and throughout
Latin America. This range includes both the
Nearctic and Neotropical regions. It occupies
North America in a range stretching from
Pennsylvania to Florida and as far west as
Arizona.
Triatoma sanguisuga is found in terrestrial and
wooded environments where small mammals
live. Wood rats are the most common host for
these blood sucking insects, and the rat nests
provide a convenient home for the insects.
Large flat rocks, detritus, and wood piles
provide structural support for the rat nests
and safety for the insects because they can
feed, digest, and lay their eggs within.
Development and Reproduction

Females and males are polygynandrous; each sex finds multiple

mates during their lifespan. Shorter in comparison to related insects,
the mating time of T. sanguisuga lasts only 10 minutes. After male
fertilization, females migrate to a new territory to found a new
community
Characteristics
Orange-red to yellowish
horizontal markings
Mouthparts relatively
hairless
Pronotum black with
orange-red to yellowish
side and top margins
Tip of scutellum long,
narrow
Distinctive orange-red to
yellowish markings on
wings
 Kissing bug and Chagas Disease
Chagas disease, or American
trypanosomiasis, is caused by
the parasite Trypanosoma
cruzi. Infection is most
commonly acquired through
contact with the feces of an
infected triatomine bug (or
"kissing bug"), a blood-
sucking insect that feeds on
humans and animals.
Symptoms
Chagas disease presents itself in 2 phases. The initial, acute phase
lasts for about 2 months after infection. During the acute phase, a
high number of parasites circulate in the blood. In most cases,
symptoms are absent or mild, but can include
Fever
Headache
Enlarged lymph glands
Muscle pain
Difficulty in breathing
Swelling and abdominal or chest pain
Symptoms
During the chronic phase, the parasites are hidden mainly in the heart and
digestive muscle. Up to 30% of patients suffer from

Cardiac disorders
Digestive (typically enlargement of the esophagus
or colon)
Neurological or mixed alterations
In later years the infection can lead to sudden
death or heart failure caused by progressive
destruction of the heart muscle.
Treatment
To kill the parasite, Chagas disease can be treated
with benznidazole and also nifurtimox.