The American journal of medicine
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Letter Case Reports
Infection of Aortic Endograft Caused by Coccidioidomycosis.
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Kissing bugs are common household pests in the Desert Southwest of the United States. These hematophagous bugs enter homes and suck blood from resident humans and pets. They are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, an enzootic parasite in small mammals and the cause of Chagas disease in humans. Autochthonous cases of Chagas disease are rare in the United States despite the presence of the vector and parasite. Environmental and biological factors accounting for this phenomenon need studying. ⋯ Kissing bugs harboring T. cruzi readily entered new and old homes. Bites of humans caused severe, life-threatening reactions. There was no serological evidence of Chagas disease among those bitten.