venthoughmostpeoplearewilling� tobelievetheworstaboutinsects,� therearesomeinsectsthatjustseem� tostretchtheimaginationbeyondcredulity.� Kissingbugs,�forexample:�formorethana� century,�peoplehavehadtheirdoubtsthat� thereissuchathingasabugthat,�undercov- erofnight,�eschewseveryotherpartofthe� humanbodyandheadsdirectlytothelips� to inflict a painful bite. On a website called Cracked.com,� inalongthreadaboutex- strongmouthpartsandsooftentakethe� easyroutetoabloodmealandpiercethe� thinnest skin they can find—the skin of babyrodentsinundergroundburrowsor,�if� theystumbleacrossasleepinghumanabove� ground,�thethinskinsurroundingtheeyeor� onthelips.�Duetoacombinationofstealth� andanesthetizingsaliva,�theirfeedingrarely� wakestheirsleepingvictim,�whoawakens� with inexplicably puffy lips or eyelids. A particularlyobnoxiousSouthAmerican� representative,� Triatoma infestans,� islo- callyknownasthevincucha.�Itskisscanbe� thekissofdeath,�becausethisinsectisthe� principalvectorofaone-celledprotozoan� pathogenknownasTrypanosoma cruzi,�an� infectiousmicrobethatisthecauseofthe� debilitatingillnesscalledChagasdisease,�or� Americantrypanosomiasis.�Infectionresults� notfromaninjectionofthemicrobethrough� theproboscis�(asisthecaseformalaria,�yel- lowfever,�andmanyotherarthropod-borne� scourges), but is, in a way, self-inflicted, inthatthepathogensarecontainedinthe� droppingsofthekissingbug,�whichfallonto� theskinandgetrubbedintothefeedingsite� whenavictimscratchesanitch.� Chagasdiseaseisparticularlyinsidi- ousinthatsymptomsofinfectionmaynot� manifestthemselvesfordecades;�upto�30%� ofinfectedindividualscandevelopchronic� symptomsculminatinginheartfailure.�Short� ofheartfailure,� Chagasdiseasecancause�