A deadly parasite makes its way into Central Texas

A deadly parasite is moving into Central Texas. It is carried by the kissing bug, also called the "assassin" bug, because it is so deadly. The scientific name for the bug is Triatomine.
And it can be as close as your backyard.

The kissing bug is the vector -- or carrier -- for protozoa Trypansoma cruzi. It's a parasite that lives in the gut of the bug and is disseminated through its feces.

When the feces get into the bloodstream of humans, it causes Chagas disease, which ultimately can cause heart failure.

Dr. Sahotra Sarkar is a professor of integrative biology at the University of Texas. He has been studying Chagas disease since 2006. He wrote a paper published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

"The insects like to feed on people when they're asleep and tend to bite your lips," said Sarkar. "That's how the bug got its name. But we've seen bites on almost every part of the human body."

Sarkar's team started off studying Chagas disease in Mexico. Each year Chagas disease kills more than 50,000 people in Central and South America.

But recently Sarkar has been alarmed at the overwhelming numbers of the parasite they are finding in Texas.

More: [link to parasitologyblog.com]