Epidemiology & Risk Factors Español (Spanish) Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Infection is most commonly spread through contact with the poop of an infected triatomine bug (or “kissing bug”), a blood-sucking insect that feeds on humans and animals. What are the signs and symptoms of Chagas disease? Romaña’s sign, the swelling of the child’s eyelid (pictured above), is a marker of acute Chagas disease. Swelling is due to Trypanosoma cruzi infecting the eyelid when bug feces are accidentally rubbed into the eye, or because the bite wound was on the same side of the child’s face as the swelling. Credit: WHO/TDR Acute phase: During this phase, which lasts for the first few weeks or months infection, a person may have no symptoms or mild ones, such as fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting. Because these symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, most people do not know their illness is from infection with the T. cruzi parasite. However, a doctor may be able to pick up other signs of infection, including mild enlargement of the liver or spleen, swollen glands, or swelling at the site of the bite (called a chagoma), [...]

Haemaphysalis longicornis is a tick indigenous to Asia, where it is an important vector of human and animal disease agents, which can result in human hemorrhagic fever and substantive reduction in dairy production. Read full CDC report here: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6747a3.htm?s_cid=mm6747a3_e    

This season has been intense for ticks and fleas. Please be aware that the Powassan (POW) virus is transmitted to humans by infected ticks.