The Perilous Predators of the Night: Deadly Bugs on the Prowl

During her childhood, Emiliana Rodríguez remembers observing friends engage in a nighttime game of soccer, when suddenly one of the participants collapsed lifeless on the field. Not comprehending what had taken place, the Bolivian native Rodríguez developed a fear of the night, terrified of the silent assassin known as Chagas, the “creature” she was informed only emerges after sunset.

Chagas represents a distinct kind of creature, a “quiet and hushed illness,” transmitted by nocturnal insects that infect up to 8 million individuals each year, with Rodríguez’ friend being one of the 12,000 victims annually.

At the age of 42, Emiliana Rodríguez relocated from Bolivia to Barcelona 27 years ago and came to the realization that she couldn’t evade Chagas, which she describes as a “creature.”