The Kissing Bug Project - Current Research


Kissing Bug Home Basic facts Allergies Chagas Disease Got kissing bugs? Avoiding Current research Outreach In The News Collaborators References Contact Informative Flyer ARLDN Home	Kissing bugs in Southern Arizona: potential risks for human health, and development of tools for monitoring and control Abstract Kissing bugs threaten human health in Southwestern USA because their bites can cause severe allergic reactions and they are potential vectors of Chagas Disease, a potentially deadly disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Although only a few cases have been reported in the USA, both infected insects and mammals are abundant in Arizona, and more competent vectors may disperse from endemic areas. We will study the risk of transmission of Chagas Disease and develop methods for controlling triatomine populations in Southern Arizona. We will: (1) study the insect-species distribution, abundance, and infection rates; (2) find a highly attractive synthetic odor blend based on host odors; and (3) test this blend in an odor-baited trap under laboratory and field conditions (aiming at intercepting the insects before they reach houses). Reducing triatomine-human contacts will benefit Arizonans by reducing the incidence of allergic reactions and the risks of Chagas Disease. Description of the Research Problem Blood-sucking triatomine bugs, commonly known as kissing bugs, cone-nose bugs, or Mexican bed bugs, are important to human health in Southwestern USA because of the mild to severe allergic reactions their bites can cause and their role as potential carriers of the parasite that causes Chagas Disease. Kissing bugs could become a more common health problem in the Southwest, owing to the fact that that human populations are continuously expanding into the natural habitat of these insects. Indeed, Arizona is one of the states with the highest reported incidence of contacts between kissing bugs and humans. Although only a few cases of Chagas Disease have been reported in the USA, this disease can be deadly: it affects 18-20 million people in Mexico, Central and South America and results in ca. 14,000 deaths every year. The possibility of higher rates of infection by this parasite in Southwest USA, however, cannot be excluded given that both infected insects and mammalian hosts (e.g., packrats and other rodents) are present. In addition, species of kissing bugs that are more efficient carriers of the parasite may disperse from areas where the disease is common (e.g. neighboring Mexico) and find their way to Arizona. In neither Arizona nor other parts of the USA are there up-to-date data on the species of kissing bugs present, their abundance, and their rates of parasitic infection. Moreover, there are no methods for trapping kissing bugs and thus reducing human exposure. Goals and objectives of the Research We will assess the risks that kissing bugs pose to human health in Southern Arizona and develop control methods to intercept those insects before they reach human houses. This will reduce contacts between kissing bugs and humans. In parallel, we will develop educational tools for increased, much-needed awareness in the general population about health risks associated with kissing bugs. To accomplish these goals we will: (1) study which species of kissing bugs are present in the periphery of Tucson (an area of high incidence of allergic reactions due to kissing bug bites) and their geographical distribution, abundance, and infection rates by the parasites that cause Chagas Disease; (2) study biological aspects of these insects that are relevant to their capacity to locate, contact, and bite humans and to transmit the Chagas Disease parasite to humans (e.g., feeding habits, low domiciliation capability, preference for feeding on vertebrates other than humans); (3) identify odors that are highly attractive to the insects by means of state-of-the-art chemical analysis and studies of insect smell function; (4) develop a trap baited with attractive odor blends identified under aim (3), which will be tested under laboratory and field conditions and will help to reduce contacts between kissing bug and human; (5) establish a referential Website for educational and informational purposes with information specific for Arizonans; and (6) pursue educational outreach activities in selected school districts (pilot program). Accomplishment of our goals will help reduce contacts between kissing bugs and humans and thus benefit Arizonans by reducing the risk of Chagas Disease and of severe allergic reactions. This project is being funded by the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission for the period 8-06 to 8-09.