Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!
Posted by David  on November 8, 2014, 2:44 pm
198.144.53.21-----------------------------Re: Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!
Posted by Pablo on November 8, 2014, 6:19 pm, in reply to "Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!"
96.50.109.80
I wonder if there's any Chaga's disease ever reported in and around the La Manzanilla area. Would not want to get this disease, that's for sure. I remember it well from my Medical Entomology course "way back when" (yes, I am or was a "bug man"/entomologist), but thought of it more being a problem in south america, where the disease is very rampant. Not a problem at all for anyone sleeping under a solid roof or with a mosquito net, but sleeping under a thatched roof without a net would probably not be advisable unless you want to risk receiving a "besito del muerto".
The insect is part of a group called assassin bugs (family Reduviidae), which also includes their cousins, the ambush bugs. Trouble with Chaga's is you may never really have any symptoms at all for 20 or 30 years and then suddenly it's "lights out", as many of your organs have become super-enlarged (organomegaly).
Would be interesting to know what the locals know of these insects and what they call them. The possible names I found were benchuca, vinchuca and chipo. Anyone care to ask around of their neighbours down there and report back? Could someone ask the doctor perhaps?
These bugs are not stopping me from coming to LM!!!
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-----------------------------Re: Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!
Posted by Kim on November 9, 2014, 6:30 am, in reply to "Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!"
198.144.53.21
Very interesting Paul, forgot about you being a bug man. We did come across this bug when we stayed in Zipolite, Mx. Found it in our bed and ask the locals what it was and they said it is commonly found on burros and it was a blood sucking bug.
It is estimated that 7 to 8 million people, mostly in Mexico, Central America and South America have Chagas disease.[1] It results in about 12,500 deaths a year as of 2006.[2] Most people with the disease are poor[2] and most people with the disease do not realize they are infected.[7] Large-scale population movements have increased the areas where cases of Chagas disease are found and these now include many European countries and the United States.[1] These areas have also seen an increase in the years up to 2014.[8] The disease was first described in 1909 by Carlos Chagas after whom it is named.[1] It affects more than 150 other animals
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-----------------------------Re: Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!
Posted by Pablo on November 9, 2014, 7:47 am, in reply to "Re: Kiss-of Death? Meet the Kissing Bug!"
96.50.109.80|
Hey, Kim, I see you went to Wickapedia as well... I was looking for more detailed information on the specific distribution of Chaga's disease in Mexico, you know, like, is it more prevalent on east coast or on west, more in jungle areas, more in south or north, that kind of thing. I admit to not really being very persistent it said search. And, as I mentioned, very interested to hear about local incidence of the disease if any.
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