Kissing Bug Intrusions into Homes in the Southwest United States

Abstract

Kissing bugs readily enter homes in the Sonoran Desert and bite the residents. Their saliva is highly antigenic, causing local and systemic skin reactions and life-threatening anaphylaxis. We attempted to determine what characteristics of homesites may have contributed to home intrusion by kissing bugs. Extensive and detailed information about the homes and the home environment was collected from 78 homeowners in Tucson who suffered kissing bug intrusions. Homeowners collected 298 Triatoma rubida in and around their homes. Of the homes entered by kissing bugs, 29 of 46 (63%) contained bugs harboring Trypanosoma cruzi. Although in the aggregate, homeowners were bitten > 2200 times, no individual tested positive for Chagas disease (N = 116). Although yearly intrusion likely occurs in some homes, T. rubida does not domiciliate within homesites in the Desert Southwest. We conclude there is little risk to homeowners for Chagas disease given the current behavior of resident kissing bugs and absent ingesting kissing bug fecal matter.

Coconut fatty acids exhibit strong repellency and week‐long efficacy against several urban pest arthropods of the southwestern United States

“…3,4 Triatoma rubida (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a blood feeding insect whose adults and nymphs disperse from rodent nests and eventually invade homes where they bite and feed on humans. 5,6 Flying adults are commonly seen in Arizona around porch lights during late May and early June. 7 Although specimens of T. rubida collected in Arizona, 8 New Mexico and Texas 9 have been found to harbor the intestinal protozoan that causes Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, evidence of its vector capability has not been fully demonstrated.…”

“…Turkestan cockroaches are primarily considered nuisance pests; however, they have been found to carry Salmonella spp., bacteria of substantial public health concern 3,4 . Triatoma rubida (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a blood feeding insect whose adults and nymphs disperse from rodent nests and eventually invade homes where they bite and feed on humans 5,6 . Flying adults are commonly seen in Arizona around porch lights during late May and early June 7 .…”

Evidence of likely autochthonous Chagas disease in the southwestern United States: A case series of Trypanosoma cruzi seropositive blood donors

“…However, a rising interest in the potential for locally‐acquired infection has led to increased identification of suspected autochthonous cases, nearly tripling the number of autochthonous cases previously thought to exist in the nation 3,10,12,13 . The majority of the southwestern states house a high dispersion index and species richness of the triatomine vector with high Trypanosoma cruzi insect infection prevalence 14 . Although the primary area of concern in human exposure to US triatomines is the risk for an anaphylactic reaction to the highly antigenic insect saliva, 14–17 cardiac disease has been documented among US T. cruzi ‐positive blood donors 18 .…”

“…3,10,12,13 The majority of the southwestern states house a high dispersion index and species richness of the triatomine vector with high Trypanosoma cruzi insect infection prevalence. 14 Although the primary area of concern in human exposure to US triatomines is the risk for an anaphylactic reaction to the highly antigenic insect saliva, [14][15][16][17] cardiac disease has been documented among US T. cruzi-positive blood donors. 18 Working outdoors at night, military training activities, and recreational camping and hunting have been identified as possible risk factors for T. cruzi infection in the US.…”