Deadly 'Kissing Bug' Turns Up in Georgia: Reports

Image: The “kissing bug” has earned its nickname by biting people on their faces and lips at night.

An insect that carries a parasite that causes a deadly disease has been found recently in Georgia and Alabama, according to media reports.

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the “kissing bug,” also called the triatomine bug, has turned up in both states, a Nashville TV station reported.

The insects feed on the blood of mammals, including humans, and sometimes carry and transmit a parasite that causes Chagas disease, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. If left untreated, Chagas disease can cause sudden death, according to the CDC. But it says there’s a low chance of contracting the disease in the U.S.

Kissing bugs have shown up in various places around the South, AJC.com reported. They’ve earned their nickname by biting people on their faces and lips at night.

To keep the insects away from your home, the CDC recommends the following precautions:

• Sealing cracks and gaps around windows, walls, roofs and doors
• Removing wood, brush and rock piles near your house
• Using screens on doors and windows and repairing any holes or tears
• If possible, making sure yard lights are not close to your house (lights can attract the bugs)
• Sealing holes and cracks leading to the attic, crawl spaces below the house, and to the outside
• Having pets sleep indoors, especially at night
• Keeping your house and any outdoor pet resting areas clean, in addition to periodically checking both areas for the presence of bugs

For more information about the triatomine bug and precautions to take, check out this report from the CDC.