Deadly Insects Attack Victims At Night, Killing Them Quietly And Needs To Be taken Seriously Now

As a young child Emiliana Rodríguez recalls watching friends play a nighttime game of soccer, where one of the players suddenly dropped dead on the field. Not knowing what had happened, the Bolivian-born Rodríguez grew fearful of the night, afraid of the silent killer called Chagas, the “monster” she was told only comes out at night.

To prevent a possible infestation, the CDC recommends that you: 1) Seal cracks and gaps around windows, walls, roofs and doors. 2) Remove wood, brush and rock piles near your house. 3) Use screens on doors and windows and repair any holes or tears. 4) Seal holes and cracks leading to the attic, to crawl spaces below the house and to the outside. 5) Have pets sleep indoors, especially at night. 6) Keep your house and any outdoor pet resting areas clean, in addition to periodically checking both areas for the presence of bugs. If you believe you have come across a kissing bug, it is advised by the CDC not to crush it. Instead, you should carefully place the bug in a container. and fill the container with rubbing alcohol or freeze it in water. Afterward, it is recommended that you take the container with the bug to your local health department or a university laboratory for identification. It's quite frightening to think these bugs live in the walls of homes–it's like those horror stories you hear as a child to be wary of the monster that lives in the walls. We really hope the WHO makes good on its promise to eliminate Chagas, and other Neglected Tropical Diseases. Please share this story and help raise awareness on this silent disease!