Health security

A dangerous parasitic illness spread by bugs that bite people's faces at night is spreading in the US, doctors warn

The name "kissing bug" doesn't quite communicate the danger of the infection that insects with that moniker can spread.

These bloodsucking bugs, called triatomine bugs, spread a parasitic illness called Chagas disease. Left untreated, Chagas causes serious cardiac or intestinal complications in about 30% of patients, according to the CDC. These complications can lead to heart failure and sudden death.

Because many people don't show signs of infection, medical researchers have described Chagas as a "silent killer."

Chagas has typically been found in Central and South America, but the disease is becoming more common in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan, according to a recent statement from American Heart Association (AHA) and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology. The groups warn that doctors outside Latin America must become more aware of the disease so they can recognize, treat, and control it.