It’s true that triatomine   bugs, which are often called “kissing bugs,” have been linked to Chagas   disease in the United States. Researchers with the American Society of   Topical Medicine and Hygiene   estimated that there were about 300,000 cases of Chagas disease in the U.S. by   early November 2014. The potentially fatal disease is caused by an   infection by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, or T. cruzi, and was   first diagnosed in the U.S. in 2007. Kissing bugs feed on the blood of sleeping humans and animals. After   they feed, infected bugs defecate, and T. cruzi parasites from their   feces are able to enter the body through the eyes, mouth, nose or an   open wound, according to the   Mayo Clinic. The   Mayo Clinic says it’s also possible to become infected by eating   uncooked contaminated food, blood transfusions, infected pets and   spending time in forests where infected animals like raccoons and   opossums live. Symptoms of Chagas disease are often mild or non-existent at first,   which is why it’s called “the silent killer.” As the disease progresses,   patients experience fever, body aches and swelling around the bite mark. More advanced symptoms include irregular heartbeat, an enlarged heart,   problems with digestion and bowel movements and strokes, according to   the   Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC). The   World Health Organization   estimates that 8 million people are infected with Chagas disease, most of them in   Latin America. Researchers from Baylor University collected 40 kissing bugs from 11   counties in south-central Texas and identified 17 patients from Houston   who were diagnosed with Chagas disease, the Washington Posts reported in   November 2014. “We   are astonished to not only find such a high rate of individuals testing   positive for Chagas in their blood, but also high rates of heart disease   that appear to be Chagas-related,” Nolan Garcia, a researcher with the   American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, said. Posted  11/12/14    Comments
 The Latin American “kissing   bug” has infected people in the U.S. with Chagas disease, which is also   called “the silent killer.”      