Combining Public Health Education and Disease Ecology Research: Using Citizen Science to Assess Chagas Disease Entomological Risk in Texas

Abstract

BackgroundChagas disease is a zoonotic parasitic disease well-documented throughout the Americas and transmitted primarily by triatomine ‘kissing bug’ vectors. In acknowledgment of the successful history of vector control programs based on community participation across Latin America, we used a citizen science approach to gain novel insight into the geographic distribution, seasonal activity, and Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence of kissing bugs in Texas while empowering the public with information about Chagas disease.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe accepted submissions of kissing bugs encountered by the public in Texas and other states from 2013–2014 while providing educational literature about Chagas disease. In the laboratory, kissing bugs were identified to species, dissected, and tested for T. cruzi infection. A total of 1,980 triatomines were submitted to the program comprised of at least seven species, of which T. gerstaeckeri and T. sanguisuga were the most abundant (85.7% of submissions). Triatomines were most commonly collected from dog kennels and outdoor patios; Overall, 10.5% of triatomines were collected from inside the home. Triatomines were submitted from across Texas, including many counties which were not previously known to harbor kissing bugs. Kissing bugs were captured primarily throughout April-October, and peak activity occurred in June-July. Emails to our dedicated account regarding kissing bugs were more frequent in the summer months (June-August) than the rest of the year. We detected T. cruzi in 63.3% of tested bugs.Conclusions/SignificanceCitizen science is an efficient approach for generating data on the distribution, phenology, and infection prevalence of kissing bugs—vectors of the Chagas disease parasite—while educating the public and medical community.

Trypanosome species, including Trypanosoma cruzi , in sylvatic and peridomestic bats of Texas, USA

“…Texas is home to 32 species of bats and at least species of triatomines (Ammerman et al, 2012; Curtis-Robles et al, 2015). The two most common triatomine species encountered in Texas are Triatoma gerstaeckeri and T. sanguisuga and approximately 50–70% of these are infected with T. cruzi (Curtis-Robles et al, 2015; Kjos et al, 2009b). Bats have the opportunity to encounter triatomines during foraging and feeding at night when both are active, as well as potentially being fed upon by the bugs during the day when roosting in trees or caves.…”

“…Despite the migration of some bat species between South, Central, and North America, and local presence of large numbers of T. cruzi -infected triatomine vectors across Mexico and the Southern US (Bern et al, 2011; Curtis-Robles et al, 2015; Ramsey et al, 2000), no study has reported the presence of T. cruzi or any trypanosome species in bats in North America. Our objective was to quantify the frequency at which bats were infected with trypanosomes and compare the genetic diversity of these parasites in bats from both peridomestic and sylvatic habitats across Texas.…”

Revisiting Chagas disease and its cardiac implications: an integrative review study for nursing practice

“…Educational strategies related to early recognition of worsening signs and symptoms, and adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological recommendations such as salt and water restriction and weight control, should be reinforced [17][18][19][20]37].…”

Anthropologists in Global Health Experiments

“…New research methodologies such as citizen science projects are emerging, if only to make better use of the big data sets increasingly accessible for analysis (see, e.g., Curtis-Robles et al 2015). Nelson and colleagues (2014) have shown how the genomic turn in cancer clinical trials is changing how trials are carried out.…”

“…Strategic collaboration, we argue, is necessary to break the hegemony of randomized controlled trials in designing global health technologies and implementing health care. Anthropologists should be attentive to changes in the epistemic practices of biomedicine, such as the smart trials being developed by oncologists, microbiome or epigenetics researchers, and novel observational techniques such as those utilized in citizen science health projects (Manderson, Hardon, and Cartwright 2016;Curtis-Robles et al 2015). Anthropologists can further align themselves with local clinical researchers and patient organizations confronting the limits of global evidence in practice.…”