8 ms·

Citizen scientist hunts for kissing bugs

70 points by aabaker99 10y ago

qntty 10y ago
this is terrifying
mhurron 10y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae They're also called assassin bugs and are pretty common. If you treat around your house for bugs like ticks, fleas, ants and termites you're probably using an insecticide that will also control these things. Yes I know ticks aren't bugs, but none of what I listed are true bugs. And now my skin is itchy.
- stronglikedan 10y ago
  Thanks. You would think an article about kissing bugs would have at least one clear image of the bug itself. I now know exactly what these are, thanks to the article you linked.
- ktRolster 10y ago
  Oh dang it, they fly.
- faitswulff 10y ago
  They seem not to be the same things, since the article specifically mentions assassin bugs as being falsely identified as kissing bugs. It seems they belong to the same family of insect, however.
  - mhurron 10y ago
    http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ The CDC also lists them as the same thing. It is possible all these sources are right. There are many species of this pest and while all can carry the Chagas disease worm apparently only 5 of prime concern as an infection vector for humans. It could be that none of those 5 are called assassin bugs.
- whyenot 10y ago
  Both kissing bugs and assassin bugs are both true bugs in the family Reduviidae, but they are not the same thing. Kissing bugs that can spread Chagas are not common outside the extreme southern portion of the US. By the way, not only are ticks not bugs, they aren't even insects, they are arachnids. Many insecticides have no effect on them.
  - somethingsimple 10y ago
    Thanks for the peace of mind. I've seen many assassin bugs in my apartment in the Seattle area and sometimes worry that one of us might have been bitten by them and have Chagas. I guess we're safe in this area.
    - whyenot 10y ago
      Here is a map of the states where the kissing bugs that vector Chagas disease have been been reported in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ This doesn't mean the bugs are common in these states, or even when bugs are present, that they have the parasite responsible for Chagas.
  - jcbeard 10y ago
    They're unfortunately becoming common in the upper regions of Texas. At least I can verify Austin, TX has had quite a few. Thankfully pesticides take care of these not so little critters.
- _of 10y ago
  The kissing bug carries a unicellular organism called Trypanosoma cruzi [1], which is what causes the human disease. T. cruzi is transmitted by the kissing bug into the human host, where it can remain dormant for years while completing its life cycle. What is so nasty with this parasite is that it hides inside normal cells, proliferating slowly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi
ktRolster 10y ago
“Behind all of that knowledge is a basic principle,” he said. “The closer you look, the weirder it gets.” It's a fractal
whyenot 10y ago
Just to be clear, there is a test and a treatment for Chagas disease (although not necessarily a cure).
rince 10y ago
You know a clear picture of a kissing bug would greatly enhance this article
- otoburb 10y ago
  I agree with you. But since a clear picture wasn't included, here's our friendly CDC providing the lifecycle dvelopment of this bug[1]. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/triatomine_stages_lg.html http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/triatom...
pvaldes 10y ago
Curious guy. The kind of people able to make things regrowth after their footseps. They are scarce and often elusive.
- MrJagil 10y ago
  Watch "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Frederic Bac; tremendous film, best there evere was on the subject of regrowth.
Natsu 10y ago
I wonder if these could (and should?) be wiped out like that plan to wipe out the mosquitoes by releasing sterile ones.
taneq 10y ago
From the title I assumed we were talking about glandular fever.
- pacaro 10y ago
  FYI known to Americans as "mono" or "infectious mononucleosis" - I've heard it called "kissing disease" but rarely
  - taneq 10y ago
    And in the reverse direction, it took me ages (and maybe a web search) before I figured out that "mono" was glandular fever. What's going to be really interesting in the future is "regional" vernacular being split along online community lines more than geographic lines, so you'll get the same cultural confusion talking to your neighbour as you currently do talking to fellow internet posters.
chr1 10y ago
I wonder if it is possible to use gene drive against this bugs? As the article says biting us is a "capital offense" and getting rid of mosquitos, ticks, tsetse and this horrible thing, would improve life of many people.
tzs 10y ago
> Partially, it was for financial reasons. If he spent 100 hours participating in scientific research on his land, he could reduce his property taxes by more than half. That's interesting. Anyone know offhand how that works?
- kristianp 10y ago
  Googled "100 hours participating scientific research land property taxes". Third result: Timber Taxation: A General Guide for Forestland Owners http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/finance/forest-tax-info/tax-information/timber-taxation-a-general-guide-for-forestland-owners http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/finance/f...

70 points by aabaker99 10y ago

qntty 10y ago

this is terrifying

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae They're also called assassin bugs and are pretty common. If you treat around your house for bugs like ticks, fleas, ants and termites you're probably using an insecticide that will also control these things. Yes I know ticks aren't bugs, but none of what I listed are true bugs. And now my skin is itchy.

stronglikedan 10y ago
Thanks. You would think an article about kissing bugs would have at least one clear image of the bug itself. I now know exactly what these are, thanks to the article you linked.
ktRolster 10y ago
Oh dang it, they fly.
faitswulff 10y ago
They seem not to be the same things, since the article specifically mentions assassin bugs as being falsely identified as kissing bugs. It seems they belong to the same family of insect, however.
- mhurron 10y ago
  http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ The CDC also lists them as the same thing. It is possible all these sources are right. There are many species of this pest and while all can carry the Chagas disease worm apparently only 5 of prime concern as an infection vector for humans. It could be that none of those 5 are called assassin bugs.
whyenot 10y ago
Both kissing bugs and assassin bugs are both true bugs in the family Reduviidae, but they are not the same thing. Kissing bugs that can spread Chagas are not common outside the extreme southern portion of the US. By the way, not only are ticks not bugs, they aren't even insects, they are arachnids. Many insecticides have no effect on them.
- somethingsimple 10y ago
  Thanks for the peace of mind. I've seen many assassin bugs in my apartment in the Seattle area and sometimes worry that one of us might have been bitten by them and have Chagas. I guess we're safe in this area.
  - whyenot 10y ago
    Here is a map of the states where the kissing bugs that vector Chagas disease have been been reported in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ This doesn't mean the bugs are common in these states, or even when bugs are present, that they have the parasite responsible for Chagas.
- jcbeard 10y ago
  They're unfortunately becoming common in the upper regions of Texas. At least I can verify Austin, TX has had quite a few. Thankfully pesticides take care of these not so little critters.
_of 10y ago
The kissing bug carries a unicellular organism called Trypanosoma cruzi [1], which is what causes the human disease. T. cruzi is transmitted by the kissing bug into the human host, where it can remain dormant for years while completing its life cycle. What is so nasty with this parasite is that it hides inside normal cells, proliferating slowly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi

ktRolster 10y ago

“Behind all of that knowledge is a basic principle,” he said. “The closer you look, the weirder it gets.” It's a fractal

whyenot 10y ago

Just to be clear, there is a test and a treatment for Chagas disease (although not necessarily a cure).

rince 10y ago

You know a clear picture of a kissing bug would greatly enhance this article

otoburb 10y ago
I agree with you. But since a clear picture wasn't included, here's our friendly CDC providing the lifecycle dvelopment of this bug[1]. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/triatomine_stages_lg.html http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/triatom...

pvaldes 10y ago

Curious guy. The kind of people able to make things regrowth after their footseps. They are scarce and often elusive.

MrJagil 10y ago
Watch "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Frederic Bac; tremendous film, best there evere was on the subject of regrowth.

Natsu 10y ago

I wonder if these could (and should?) be wiped out like that plan to wipe out the mosquitoes by releasing sterile ones.

taneq 10y ago

From the title I assumed we were talking about glandular fever.

pacaro 10y ago
FYI known to Americans as "mono" or "infectious mononucleosis" - I've heard it called "kissing disease" but rarely
- taneq 10y ago
  And in the reverse direction, it took me ages (and maybe a web search) before I figured out that "mono" was glandular fever. What's going to be really interesting in the future is "regional" vernacular being split along online community lines more than geographic lines, so you'll get the same cultural confusion talking to your neighbour as you currently do talking to fellow internet posters.

chr1 10y ago

I wonder if it is possible to use gene drive against this bugs? As the article says biting us is a "capital offense" and getting rid of mosquitos, ticks, tsetse and this horrible thing, would improve life of many people.

tzs 10y ago

> Partially, it was for financial reasons. If he spent 100 hours participating in scientific research on his land, he could reduce his property taxes by more than half. That's interesting. Anyone know offhand how that works?

kristianp 10y ago
Googled "100 hours participating scientific research land property taxes". Third result: Timber Taxation: A General Guide for Forestland Owners http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/finance/forest-tax-info/tax-information/timber-taxation-a-general-guide-for-forestland-owners http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/finance/f...