KDSN RADIO News
The kissing disease sounds cute, but beware Iowans, it can be a killer
Iowans are warned to be on the lookout for an insect that can cause what’s called the kissing disease — or chagas (pronounced SHOG-us) — which can be deadly.
Not to be confused with “mono,” another type of kissing disease, Chagas was once a problem just in Latin America, but it’s moved into the southern U.S. and has reached as far north as Missouri.
Brian Simmons, an infection preventionist at Emplify Health by Gundersen, says there aren’t any outbreaks reported in Iowa yet.
Brian Simmons (Emplify Health photo)
Simmons says, “Chagas is a disease spread by a parasite from a bug that we generally call the kissing bug.”
There are many kinds of kissing bugs, but most of them are black or dark brown, with red, orange or yellow stripes around the edges of their bodies, and they’re between a half-inch and an inch long.
The “kissing” part of the name comes from their habit of feeding near a person’s mouth. If one bites you, the symptoms of Chagas can last for years if left untreated.
“Some symptoms and warning signs would be just common fever, achiness,” Simmons says, “and some people will get what’s called a Romana sign, which is a swollen eyelid.”
Chagas can be treated with medication, but as many as 10,000 people worldwide die from it every year. While the disease can be transmitted by a bite, it can also be carried on vegetables the insect has crawled on, so Simmons says there are a few simple things Iowans can do to prevent it.
“Clean those raw vegetables,” Simmons says. “If you’re out in the environment, to protect yourself from any bug bites, wear longer clothing; also, insecticides can also be a way to deter those type of insects.”
The CDC confirms Chagas in eight states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and Tennessee. As many as eight million people globally may be infected, and many don’t know it.
Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
