An Insect Not To Spend The Night With
This Triatomid Bug (Rhodnius prolixus) was one of the most dangerous animals that I encountered in Panama during my visit. Mosquito vectored diseases such a Malaria & Yellow Fever are currently absent from the canal area of Panama but Chagus Disease (American Sleeping Sickness) is still found throughout Central and South America, including Panama. The pictured Rhodnius prolixus (and other closely related species) attack at night where it, most often, sucks blood from the face of a sleeping individual causing serious swelling and itching. At the sametime the insect is feeding it defecates. If the insect is infected with the trypanosome parasite (upwards of 40% are) the fecal material is laden with the parasite. When one scratches the bite, there is a good chance that the fecal material will be push, with the parasites, into the wound -- and the infection begins. Without treatment the disease is long-lasting having a variety of nasty symptoms and finally resulting in death from a heart attack. Canopy Tower, Panama.
An Insect Not To Spend The Night With
This Triatomid Bug (Rhodnius prolixus) was one of the most dangerous animals that I encountered in Panama during my visit. Mosquito vectored diseases such a Malaria & Yellow Fever are currently absent from the canal area of Panama but Chagus Disease (American Sleeping Sickness) is still found throughout Central and South America, including Panama. The pictured Rhodnius prolixus (and other closely related species) attack at night where it, most often, sucks blood from the face of a sleeping individual causing serious swelling and itching. At the sametime the insect is feeding it defecates. If the insect is infected with the trypanosome parasite (upwards of 40% are) the fecal material is laden with the parasite. When one scratches the bite, there is a good chance that the fecal material will be push, with the parasites, into the wound -- and the infection begins. Without treatment the disease is long-lasting having a variety of nasty symptoms and finally resulting in death from a heart attack. Canopy Tower, Panama.