Chagas: 'Kissing bug' responsible for deadly infection spreads across America

The triatomine bug most commonly bites victims on the face and can cause long-term cardiac damage

A dangerous insect known as the “kissing bug” which can cause an infection leading to long-term damage to the heart has spread across more than half US states, health officials have claimed.

The triatomine bug, which is around an inch long, has earned its nickname due to the way it bites victims around the mouth and face in their sleep.

It has been documented since the 1850s and resembles a cockroach.

And while it does not have a deadly bite, it leaves faeces behind which can cause Chagas disease, an infection responsible for flu-like symptoms, vomiting, muscle pain, difficulty breathing and - if left untreated - death.

While it’s rare to contract Chagas from the so-called kissing bug, there are currently 300,000 cases of Chagas in the US, across 28 different US states.

It is believed most of these people were infected in Latin America, which has more than 8 million reported cases.

The bug is nocturnal and is typically found outdoors, but often hides under beds and mattresses.

The disease can also be contracted by dogs, but is not spread by human-to-human transmission.