These Bugs Are Everywhere — Don’t Ignore Their Bites If You Get Stung
As a child, Emiliana Rodríguez, originally from Bolivia, watched a group of friends playing soccer at night when one of the players suddenly collapsed and died. At the time, she did not understand what had happened but soon learned about the silent killer called Chagas disease—a “monster” she was told only comes out at night. Rodríguez’s friend was one of the 12,000 people who die each year from Chagas disease, a “silent and silenced illness” transmitted by nocturnal bugs that infect up to 8 million people annually. Although Emiliana moved from Bolivia to Barcelona 27 years ago, she still lives with Chagas disease, which she refers to as a “monster.” “The fear usually came at night. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I was afraid of going to sleep and not waking up.” She discovered she was a carrier of Chagas disease eight years ago while expecting…
As a child, Emiliana Rodríguez, originally from Bolivia, watched a group of friends playing soccer at night when one of the players suddenly collapsed and died. At the time, she did not understand what had happened but soon learned about the silent killer called Chagas disease—a “monster” she was told only comes out at night. Rodríguez’s friend was one of the 12,000 people who die each year from Chagas disease, a “silent and silenced illness” transmitted by nocturnal bugs that infect up to 8 million people annually. Although Emiliana moved from Bolivia to Barcelona 27 years ago, she still lives with Chagas disease, which she refers to as a “monster.” “The fear usually came at night. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I was afraid of going to sleep and not waking up.” She discovered she was a carrier of Chagas disease eight years ago while expecting…
