Monday, March 12, 2012

Case of the Week 199

The following arthropod was submitted for identification. The arthropod was sent to the laboratory with several information sheets from various websites including the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae

No history (including travel) was given but the submitting laboratory is in Wisconsin.

How would you sign this case out?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Similar to Reduviid, but the head morphology fits better with the asssassin bug, Rhinocoris annulatus.

Anonymous said...

I would ask my co-work to identify the insect. I work in Texas. We don't normally get the bugs at the lab anymore but have seen increased submission for Chagas testing. The doctor would be informed that if paietnt was bitten,serum can be sent to the CDC for chagas serology testing. CDC requires that they do the testing before they release the medication to the doctor.

Anonymous said...

it doesn't look exactly like Rhodnius prolixus the main carrier of Chagas disease
It should have a bloodsucking snout wich this one lacks.
check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas_disease for a picture.