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Triatoma dimidiata is the only reported Chagas disease vector in Campeche, Mexico. The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic variability of vectors from Campeche coastal and rain forest areas and establish a phylogenetic relationship with other T. dimidiata populations by analyzing the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) region. The sequence length of samples from Campeche ranged from 469 to 478 basepairs. The ITS-2 variability among the populations enabled us to classify them into two clades with an 18-22 nucleotide difference. The genetic distance (0.042) between them confirms this divergence. Phylogenetic analysis of gene genealogies confirmed these two clades. Furthermore, the population genetic analyses showed two groups with little genetic similarity or migration between them. One group was associated with the tropical forest area and the other group was associated with a mainly coastal distribution. This correlation was also observed when T. dimidiata from other regions of Mexico and Central America were analyzed.

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ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to identify the infection prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in opossums and triatomines captured in urban areas of Campeche City, Mexico. We collected 25 specimens of marsupials of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) species showing a T. cruzi infection prevalence of 52% (13/25). Also, 36 specimens of Pic (Triatoma dimiata) vectors were collected, showing a T. cruzi infection prevalence of 41.6% (15/36). All T. cruzi isolates were TcI, which correspond to the predominant lineage in mammals of Mexico, irrespective of the mammalian host species or vector.Key words: Didelphis virginiana, Triatoma dimidiata, Trypanosoma cruzi, Chagas Disease. RESUMEN.El objetivo del estudio fue identificar la prevalencia de infección con Trypanosoma cruzi en zarigüeyas (Didelphis virginiana) y Pic (Triatoma dimidiata) capturados en áreas urbanas de la ciudad de Campeche, México. Se colectaron 25 zarigüeyas con una prevalencia de infección con T. cruzi del 52% (13/25). También se colectaron 36 vectores de Pic con una prevalencia de infección del 41,6% (15/36) con T. cruzi. Todos los aislados de T. cruzi fueron TcI de acuerdo con la predominancia de este linaje en México independientemente del huésped mamífero o vector.

The deer ked Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) (Róndani), is a blood‐feeding obligate ectoparasite of several species of deer and brocket. However, at present little information is available about its role as a vector of hemoparasites. Nonetheless, it is considered a competent vector for the transmission of Bartonella species. The aim of this study was performing the morphological and molecular identification of ked flies and to carry out the detection of Bartonella. We collected specimens from Chiná, Campeche, Mexico associated with white‐tailed deer. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), of COI, gltA and rpoB genes, we were able to obtain the first barcode for L. mazamae from Mexico and identified a new species of Bartonella which was found with a prevalence of 73%. The data obtained in this study confirmed the presence of L. mazamae associated with white‐tailed deer and its possible role as vector of Candidatus Bartonella odocoilei n. sp. in Mexico and we considered that it may also be present in white‐tailed deer populations in the U.S.A. Additional investigations into Bartonella species associated with deer ked could provide further insight into their pathogenicity and its role as a zoonotic agent.