What Are Kissing Bugs? And What Happens if You Get Bit?

Few things in this world can give you the creepy-crawlies quite like bugs. And while some insects may be no more than mere annoyances, kissing bugs and their bites can have some serious, even life-threatening, effects.

We talked with family medicine physician Jeffrey Brown, DO, about kissing bugs and your risk.

What is a kissing bug?

Kissing bugs (or triatomine bugs, if you want to be scientific about it) are insects in the Reduviidae family — putting them in company with meanies like assassin bugs and ambush bugs.

Kissing bugs are mostly black or dark brown, and some have small orange or red markings. Adults can fly and measure about an inch long.

They’re common in 21 countries, including Mexico and parts of Central and South America, where they’re considered endemic, meaning they’re common and constantly present.

Dangers of kissing bugs

The problem with kissing bugs is that they can be carriers of a parasite that causes Chagas disease. And left untreated, Chagas disease can be fatal.

Here’s how it happens.

1. You get bitten by a kissing bug that’s infected with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.
2. The bug poops on your skin. (Yes, gross, but ... nature calls).
3. The poop contains the parasite, which enters your bloodstream through the bite — particularly when you scratch at it and create little openings in your skin for it to fall into. Or it can enter your body when you unknowingly touch the itty-bitty bug poop and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
4. As the parasite sets up shop in your body, you may initially feel some mild flu-like symptoms. Or you may not notice anything at all.
5. Years down the line — even 10 to 20 years later — 20% to 30% of people will show chronic symptoms of Chagas disease. So, you may not know it’s a problem until many years after being bitten by an infected kissing bug.

“The initial symptoms can be mild or nonexistent. But over time, Chagas disease can lead to serious heart and digestive issues,” Dr. Brown reports. “It can affect your heart and lead to cardiac arrest or heart failure. If it affects your gastrointestinal tract, you can get ‘megacolon,’ an enlargement of the colon that can be quite severe.”

Kissing bugs are a major public health issue in endemic areas, where housing structures made of mud and straw provide ideal environments for the bugs to thrive.

Kissing bugs exist in other regions, too, including some states in the southern U.S. But in much smaller numbers. Cases of locally transmitted Chagas disease are much lower outside of endemic regions, mostly because housing there is less hospitable to the bugs.

Are kissing bugs a risk for you?

Your risk of getting Chagas disease from a kissing bug bite depends a lot on geography.

Let’s look at the data: About 6 million to 7 million people around the world have Chagas disease. The vast majority live in Latin America.

In 2022, researchers estimated that 288,000 people in the U.S. had Chagas disease. That’s less than 0.09% of the nation’s population. Data isn’t clear on whether they were infected while living in the U.S. or if they acquired it while living in or visiting endemic regions. But Dr. Brown says it’s believed the vast majority of people in the U.S. with Chagas disease were infected in Latin America.

Why so low outside of endemic areas?

Not all kissing bugs carry the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. Researchers estimate that about 55% of kissing bugs worldwide are carriers. That happens when the bug bites a person or animal that is already infected. That means that if you live in an area where kissing bugs are everywhere and your neighbors are carriers of the parasite, your risk is highest.

On the other hand, if you live in a community with a very low incidence of Chagas disease, the random kissing bug you encounter on your walk in the park isn’t very likely to have gotten the parasite, let alone pass it on to you.

And remember, Chagas disease can’t be passed from person to person (the exception being that it can be passed to a fetus during pregnancy).

“It’s not a contagious disease. You get it from getting bitten by an infested kissing bug, not directly from other people,” Dr. Brown reiterates.

What to do if you get a kissing bug bite

If you get bitten by a kissing bug, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk for Chagas disease.

“The best thing you can do is to wash the affected area immediately with warm, soapy water, and don’t scratch the area,” Dr. Brown advises. “Washing can help to keep any parasites from entering your body.”

That way, if the bug was carrying a parasite, you can be more confident it won’t enter your body.

And if you’re feeling ill after getting bitten by a kissing bug, seek medical care quickly. A healthcare provider can screen you for signs of a parasitic infection and start treatment early. That’s important because early treatment can help prevent long-term troubles with Chagas disease.

Bottom line? Despite their cutesy name, kissing bugs are a major health concern in some parts of the world. If you live in or travel to places where they’re common, be on the lookout for bugs and bug bites, and use insecticide and mosquito nets to help keep them at bay. And if you think you could be at risk, talk with a healthcare provider about screening and early treatment.