TY - JOUR
T1 - Trypanosoma cruzi over the ocean
T2 - Insular zones of Chile with presence of infected vector Mepraia species
AU - Rives-Blanchard, Ninette
AU - Torres-Pérez, Fernando
AU - Ortiz, Silvia
AU - Solari, Aldo
AU - Campos-Soto, Ricardo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2017/8
Y1 - 2017/8
N2 - Chagas disease is one of the main zoonosis mediated by vectors in America. The etiologic agent Trypanosoma cruzi infects different mammals and is transmitted principally by the subfamily Triatominae. Mepraia is a genus endemic to Chile, responsible for transmitting T. cruzi in the sylvatic cycle. Mepraia includes three species: M. gajardoi and M. parapatrica inhabit coastal areas, while M. spinolai inhabits coastal and interior valleys. Previous studies reported the occurrence of Mepraia in Pan de Azucar Island, currently classified as M. parapatrica, but T. cruzi has not been reported in these insects. It is suggested that this could be due to infrequent insect feeding on mammalian hosts. In order to detect T. cruzi in insects from coastal islands, specimens from Pan de Azucar and Santa Maria Islands were examined. A region of kDNA of T. cruzi was amplified by PCR and hybridization assays were performed for T. cruzi genotyping of insect feces. The presence of infected insect and mixed T. cruzi infections was demonstrated. This is the first report of infected Triatominae in coastal islands in Chile. We discuss T. cruzi detection in insular zones, and the presumptive reservoirs that may participate in maintaining its transmission cycle in this habitat. Mixed and unidentified infections suggest that there are complex and unknown reservoir interactions in these habitats.
AB - Chagas disease is one of the main zoonosis mediated by vectors in America. The etiologic agent Trypanosoma cruzi infects different mammals and is transmitted principally by the subfamily Triatominae. Mepraia is a genus endemic to Chile, responsible for transmitting T. cruzi in the sylvatic cycle. Mepraia includes three species: M. gajardoi and M. parapatrica inhabit coastal areas, while M. spinolai inhabits coastal and interior valleys. Previous studies reported the occurrence of Mepraia in Pan de Azucar Island, currently classified as M. parapatrica, but T. cruzi has not been reported in these insects. It is suggested that this could be due to infrequent insect feeding on mammalian hosts. In order to detect T. cruzi in insects from coastal islands, specimens from Pan de Azucar and Santa Maria Islands were examined. A region of kDNA of T. cruzi was amplified by PCR and hybridization assays were performed for T. cruzi genotyping of insect feces. The presence of infected insect and mixed T. cruzi infections was demonstrated. This is the first report of infected Triatominae in coastal islands in Chile. We discuss T. cruzi detection in insular zones, and the presumptive reservoirs that may participate in maintaining its transmission cycle in this habitat. Mixed and unidentified infections suggest that there are complex and unknown reservoir interactions in these habitats.
KW - Insular zones
KW - Island vectors
KW - Mepraia gajardoi
KW - Mepraia parapatrica
KW - Trypanosoma cruz
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019356021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.05.020
DO - 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.05.020
M3 - Article
C2 - 28522273
AN - SCOPUS:85019356021
SN - 0001-706X
VL - 172
SP - 229
EP - 231
JO - Acta Tropica
JF - Acta Tropica
ER -
