Dynamics of feeding and defecation behavior of Triatoma infestans hybrids

Morphological, Cytological and Molecular Studies and Feeding and Defecation Pattern of Hybrids from Experimental Crosses between Triatoma sordida and T. rosai (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

“…According to these data, the hybrid cohorts were more effective vectors of T. cruzi than their parental species. In the same way, López et al [51] analyzed the vector competence of hybrids resulting from the cross between T. infestans and T. platensis Neiva, 1913 and, based on the blood ingestion velocity, the amount of blood ingested, and the short time required for the production of the first defecation, the hybrid can be considered as a competent T. cruzi vector.…”

Climate and Environmental Changes and Their Potential Effects on the Dynamics of Chagas Disease: Hybridization in Rhodniini (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

“…have shown that triatomine hybrids can play an important role in the transmission of CD: Martinez-Ibarra et al [66,67] evaluated three behaviors of epidemiological importance (the time interval for the onset of feeding, feeding time and defecation time) for five Triatoma species from Mexico and their hybrids and demonstrated that hybrids have more potential to acquire infection and transmit T. cruzi than the parental species; in addition, Martinez-Ibarra et al [68] and Meraz-Medina et al [69] evaluated biological parameters related to hatching, lifetime, number of blood meals to molt, percentage of females at the end of the cycle, number of laid eggs, and mortality for each instar of five Triatoma species from Mexico and their hybrids and observed that in four of the six studied parameters (accumulative mortality, the percentage of females, mean number of laid eggs and eggs hatching), the hybrid cohorts had better fitness results than the parental cohorts. López et al [80] analyzed the dynamics of feeding-defecation behavior in fifth-stage nymphs and adults of hybrids resulting from the cross between T. platensis (Neiva, 1913) and T. infestans (Klug, 1834) and compared them with the parents. The authors noted that adults and fifth-instar nymphs of hybrids have a feeding and defecation behavior similar to T. infestans: they achieve feeding in a short time and first defecation occurs during or just after feeding.…”

“…Based on the scientific information related to the epidemiological importance of Triatominae hybrids [65][66][67][68][69][70][71]80], the authors raise some questions: i. the hybrid cohorts were more effective vectors of T. cruzi than their parental species, which could indicate a potentially higher risk of transmission of T. cruzi to reservoir hosts; ii. the increase in hybrid fitness could lead to an increase in the epidemiologic risks caused by the transmission of T. cruzi to humans; and iii.…”

Histología del desarrollo folicular de híbridos entre Triatoma infestans Klug, 1864 Y Triatoma platensis Neiva, 1913 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

“…Los resultados evidencian que las fases del desarrollo folicular en hembras híbrido se encuentran bien definidas produciendo huevos viables con un microambiente apto para dar lugar a la embriogénesis y que los cambios ocurridos a nivel histológico en los folículos basales se asemejan a los registrados en T. infestans (Barth, 1973). Estos resultados corroboran lo propuesto por Pérez et al (2005), sobre la existencia de híbridos fértiles, del subcomplejo Infestans, con capacidad de generar descendencia viable, lo cual sumado a la invasión de ambientes humanos por especies silvestres podría sugerir la existencia de colonias naturales híbridas asociadas a ecotopos domésticos, que funcionen como refugio para estos híbridos y que ocasionalmente puedan dispersarse hacia la vivienda humana convirtiéndose en un riesgo para la salud de sus ocupantes, en este sentido, López et al (2020) describen y comparan el patrón de ingesta y defecación de híbridos con T. infestans, señalando que adultos y ninfas híbridos poseen comportamientos de alimentación y defecación similares a T. infestans concluyendo que estos organismos podrían tener un potencial relativamente alto de transmisión de T. cruzi convirtiéndose en un riesgo epidemiológico de importancia. Por ello, indagar con mayor profundidad en el estudio de la eficiencia reproductiva del híbrido cobra importancia desde el punto de vista de la capacidad de colonización de la vivienda, de la capacidad vectorial y del control de triatominos.…”