Are asian monkeys the original mammalian hosts of Trypanosoma conorhini

Abstract

It is hypothesized that Asian monkeys were the original hosts of Trypanosoma conorhini because they have been found naturally infected, the vector among rats is a tropicopolitan triatomine bug that belongs to a complex of Asian species, and primates were shown to be more susceptible than rats.

Epidemiological status of kissing-bugs in South East Asia: A preliminary assessment

“…Trypanosoma conorhini is known to infect rats, but generally seems to develop only transient infections (Hoare, 1972). By contrast, the trypanosomes reported from naturally infected macaques in Taiwan (Cross et al, 1983) and Indonesia (Weinman and Wiratmadja, 1969) are believed to be Trypanosoma conorhini (Hoare, 1972;Deane et al, 1986) suggesting that primates may be an important reservoir for this parasite. So if Trypanosoma conorhini is -or becomes -capable of infecting humans, this would further complicate the epidemiological pattern of trypanosomiasis in Asia.…”

“…At present, the main nuisance appears to be due to bite reactions -which are sometimes serious enough to give fever, and in at least one case resulted in death attributed to anaphylactic shock (see Dujardin et al, 2015). The most widespread of these kissing-bugs, Triatoma rubrofasciata, is a competent vector of T. cruzi in Latin America, and is also frequently infected with a rat trypanosome -Trypanosoma conorhini -which is not yet known to infect other domestic animals or humans [but see Deane et al, 1986]. Kissing-bugs may also be capable of transmitting other trypanosomes, such as Trypanosoma lewisi which is able to infect humans -with severe consequences.…”

Trypanosoma rangeli is phylogenetically closer to Old World trypanosomes than to Trypanosoma cruzi

“…Tr. rubrofasciata from Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia (Weinman, 1977), it was previously hypothesized that original hosts of T. conorhini were Asian monkeys (Deane et al, 1986). This hypothesis was reinforced by demonstration that T. conorhini can experimentally infect monkeys of both the New and Old…”

Morphobiological characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 and its distinction from other Trypanosomes

“…vated and can experimentally infect some laboratory animals and other triatomine species (Dias & Seabra 1943, Deane 1947, Deane & Deane 1961, Hoare 1972, Deane et al 1986). Parasitemia in natural or experimental hosts is usually scanty or subpatent.…”