{"id":882,"date":"2026-05-29T22:37:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T22:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=882"},"modified":"2026-05-29T22:37:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T22:37:49","slug":"disease-carrying-kissing-bugs-are-in-nc-info-about-the-dangerous-insects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=882","title":{"rendered":"Disease-carrying \u2018kissing bugs\u2019 are in NC. Info about the dangerous insects"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

Kissing bug sounds like it might be a cute nickname. But the insects are parasitic, with a preference for drinking blood from the face \u2014 especially the lips and eyes.<\/p>\n

Read more Greg Biffle\u2019s ex-wife sues driver\u2019s estate, pilot\u2019s estate for wrongful death<\/a><\/p>\n

The triatomine bug, often called the kissing bug, carries a parasite that causes Chagas disease, which can cause severe heart and digestive problems. Triatomine bugs are found in North Carolina, but don\u2019t panic. Experts say the odds of contracting Chagas from a kissing bug in North Carolina are slim, and that residents don\u2019t need to worry.<\/p>\n

About 8 million people, including an estimated 280,000 in the United States, have Chagas disease, according to the CDC<\/a>. Many are unaware they have it. Chagas cases are usually found in Central and South America, and along the United States border.<\/p>\n

Christopher Hayes<\/a>, an assistant professor and extension specialist at NC State, said North Carolinians don\u2019t need to worry<\/b>, though they may occasionally see kissing bugs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know the last time, or if we have ever had a positive case of Chagas in North Carolina from someone that hasn\u2019t traveled. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s been some positive travel-associated cases, but people who live in Texas, for example, are at much higher risk of contracting Chagas from kissing bugs,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n

North Carolinians may begin to see more kissing bugs eventually<\/b>. Milder winters and higher heat are great for many pests endemic to locations further South, he said, as they kill off fewer pests, including kissing bugs and ticks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs temperatures continue to increase, winters become more and more mild in North Carolina, we\u2019re going to see potential pests from these more warm areas like Florida and Texas and Louisiana,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to do well here in North Carolina because of the heat, but also because we have really high humidity here, and insects typically thrive in high heat, high humid environments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Dead dolphin had something eerie stuck in its esophagus, SC experts discover<\/a><\/p>\n

Early Chagas symptoms may be mild or not show up at all, which can make it hard to diagnose.<\/p>\n

According to the CDC<\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n

After initial symptoms subside, Chagas disease can cause chronic health problems<\/b>, sometimes spanning the duration of a patient\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

According to the CDC, 20-30% of patients develop:<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople make the mistake of believing when the swelling goes away that they\u2019re better or that it\u2019s gone, and that\u2019s not the case,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cThat means it has gone into a more chronic phase where it can have long-term impacts on the heart and other things like that, so you just always want to seek medical attention if you think you\u2019ve been exposed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the bug\u2019s propensity for drinking from people\u2019s faces, many bites occur while people are asleep. Hayes said this is one reason North Carolina\u2019s Chagas disease risk is low; North Carolinians generally have window screens to keep out other critters anyway. You\u2019re more likely to encounter them camping, spending the night outdoors in an unprotected environment.<\/p>\n

If you are worried about the kissing bugs, The Charlotte Observer has previously reported<\/a> on a few preventative measures you may take.<\/b><\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

Read more North Carolina is seeing a rise in anaphylactic red meat allergies. Why?<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Triatomine bugs can carry Chagas disease, but cases in NC are rare. Discover signs, long-term risks and simple steps to lower your chance of exposure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nDisease-carrying \u2018kissing bugs\u2019 are in NC. 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