You've heard of love bugs. Now get ready for kissing bugs, the pest taking over North Florida

Researchers at UF Health have not only noticed an increase of patients getting bitten, but its link to an insect borne disease, a statewide silent killer.Dr. Norm Beatty with UF Health says their kiss is like a mosquito bite on steroids.

“They'll invade your home and while you're sleeping, they will take a blood meal from you. Or they give you a kiss on the face,” Dr. Beatty explained.“His whole side of his face swelled up and it's clear that it was something more than a mosquito bite,” Hutchinson added. With hearing about how more patients are coming in with kissing bug bites, Hutchinson has volunteered to turn his home into a research facility. All to come up with more ways to keep the nightcrawlers out of homes throughout northern Florida.

“And it's pretty much impossible to keep bugs out of your house, especially these guys because they are cryptic and only move at night,” said Hutchinson.“A bug will poop when it's biting you and sometimes their feces will get into your mucus membrane, in your face or into your skin, but also having insects inside your home, this bug can defecate somewhere in your house,” added Dr. Beatty.

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