Killer disease from the 'kissing bug' is making its way through Texas

Killer disease from the 'kissing bug' is making its way through Texas
(Image credit: iStock)

Add this to the list of maladies that will keep you up at night: Chagas — also known as the "kissing bug" disease — is a parasitic infection that researchers say is easier to get in the United States than originally believed.

Chagas can be difficult to detect in its early stages, but if left untreated can cause cardiac and intestinal trouble, or even death. To add to the nightmare, it's spread by kissing bugs finding victims at night and sucking blood from their faces.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.