Overview
- An American couple discovered a blood-engorged adult female kissing bug in a Lisbon hotel room in August 2025, which triggered a formal investigation by University of Delaware researchers.
- The insect was identified as Hospesneotomae protracta, a species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and tests showed it was not carrying the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Researchers estimate the specimen made an approximately 5,000-mile transatlantic journey but were unable to determine its route of introduction, with luggage, cargo, or aircraft all remaining possible pathways.
- The case was investigated as a University of Delaware class project led by Jennifer K. Peterson and published in Parasites & Vectors in June 2026, marking what the authors describe as the first documented live triatomine in Europe.
- Scientists warn that if kissing bugs establish outside their native range they are hard to eliminate and could pose public-health risks if infected insects arrive, so they urge customs, border and agricultural pest monitors to improve recognition and reporting.