CHICKEN COOPS, Triatoma dimidiata INFESTATION AND ITS INFECTION WITH Trypanosoma cruzi IN A RURAL VILLAGE OF YUCATAN, MEXICO

Abstract

This study longitudinally investigated the association between Triatoma dimidiata infestation, triatomine infection with Trypanosoma cruzi and household/backyard environmental characteristics in 101 homesteads in Molas and Yucatan, Mexico, between November 2009 (rainy season) and May 2010 (dry season). Logistic regression models tested the associations between insect infestation/infection and potential household-level risk factors. A total of 200 T. dimidiata were collected from 35.6% of the homesteads, mostly (73%) from the peridomicile. Of all the insects collected, 48% were infected with T. cruzi. Infected insects were collected in 31.6% of the homesteads (54.1% and 45.9% intra- and peridomiciliary, respectively). Approximately 30% of all triatomines collected were found in chicken coops. The presence of a chicken coop in the backyard of a homestead was significantly associated with both the odds of finding T. dimidiata (OR = 4.10, CI 95% = 1.61-10.43, p = 0.003) and the presence of triatomines infected with T. cruzi (OR = 3.37, CI 95% = 1.36-8.33, p = 0.006). The results of this study emphasize the relevance of chicken coops as a putative source of T. dimidiata populations and a potential risk for T. cruzi transmission.

Multiple Discrete Typing Units of Trypanosoma cruzi Infect Sylvatic Triatoma dimidiata and Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus in Southeast Mexico

“…Previously, it has been reported that in some domestic vectors there is a higher DIFFERENT DTUS OF T. CRUZI INFECT SYLVATIC TRIATOMINAE prevalence of T. cruzi in adults than in nymphs. 31,35 Our study found similar infection indexes between nymphs and adults of the sylvatic T. dimidiata. Further, we found that the percentage of infection was higher in females than in males, which had previously been observed in other populations of T. dimidiata.…”

Disentangling Trypanosoma cruzi transmission cycle dynamics through the identification of blood meal sources of natural populations of Triatoma dimidiata in Yucatán, Mexico

“…This somewhat suggests that chickens could be used in zooprophylactic strategies, as birds are incompetent host of T. cruzi . Nevertheless, at this step, this has to be taken with extreme caution as well, as (i) chickens have been shown as a risk factor of finding infected triatomines in households in the region in other studies [64]; (ii) we found in the present study bugs fed on humans and turkeys, another poultry; and (iii) more samples are needed to reinforce the current conclusions. To further assess the positive or negative effects of the management of host community, modeling of the transmission to humans is needed, and data provided by the present study and other dealing with the identification of T. dimidiata blood meal sources in the region can be used to feed models including the hosts involved in the transmission to help assessing the effects of different host community managements on T. cruzi transmission to humans [65].…”

“…On the other hand, the network indicated that all other species identified played a limited role in parasite transmission to humans, even if this information must be taken with caution and more samples are needed. Interestingly, no bug was found to have been fed on humans together with chicken, while the presence of chickens in peridomestic habitats have also been reported as risk factors for household infestation [11, 50, 64] in the region. This somewhat suggests that chickens could be used in zooprophylactic strategies, as birds are incompetent host of T. cruzi .…”

Prevalence of Trypanosoma Cruzi in Backyard Mammals From a Rural Community of Yucatan, Mexico

“…According to Noireau (1999) these animal species generally present low indices of infection and do not play an important role as hosts; however, despite the small number of animals tested in this study, our results obligate us to continue the research in order to determine if that these species could play a part in the maintenance of T. cruzi in the backyard system. Pigs also shown a high prevalence of T. cruzi infection, the only previous report of pigs naturally infected in Mexico was published by Salazar-Schettino et al (1997) and Jiménez-Coello et al (2012), Nonetheless, the later study showed low seroprevalence in pig farms, making the finding of this study relevant, since backyard pigs apparently had higher prevalence, probably because of T. cruzi cycle stablished in the peridomicile, including other domesticated and synanthropic mammals and infected T. dimidiata vectors in the locality (Koyoc-Cardeña et al, 2015). The potential role of horses, pigs and sheep in the cycle of T. cruzi in the backyard system of rural communities in Mexico, needs further investigation.…”