Scientists have issued a warning after a resident in New Castle County, Delaware, spotted a large insect on their pillow that was found to be carrying a potentially deadly parasite.Three months later, the same resident found another specimen of the same species, raising concerns about the prevalence of these insects on North America.
The parasite is most commonly found in South and Central America, although it is occasionally seen in southern states in North America. This is the first reported case of the disease in Delaware, according to the University of Delaware epidemiologists who identified the parasite.'It's not surprising that it was infected,' Jennifer Peterson, a UD assistant professor and medical entomologist and the faculty member who identified the two specimens as kissing bugs, said in a statement.