Infestation of Mauritia flexuosa palms by triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli in the Brazilian savanna

Abstract

To determine the infestation and trypanosome infection of triatomines captured in Mauritia flexuosa palm trees across its geographic distribution in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado), we sampled 42 localities in eight states and in the Federal District, Brazil, between July 2005 and January 2010. Overall, 2154 specimens of the species Rhodnius neglectus, Psammolestes tertius, Triatoma sordida, and Microtriatoma borbai, were collected. Among the 341 palms sampled, 182 (53.3%) were infested with R. neglectus, which resulted in the capture of 1639 specimens (9.0 insects per infested palm). P. tertius occurred in 26 palms (8%), which resulted in the capture of 484 specimens (19 insects per infested palm). T. sordida (n=30) and M. borbai (n=1) occurred in only one location. From 537 R. neglectus examined, 44 were infected (8%) with Trypanosoma rangeli and/or Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc Id). M. flexuosa was previously recognized as a suitable breeding ecotope for R. neglectus in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Goiás, Tocantins and the Federal District. Our results expand this distribution to other states (São Paulo, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Maranhão and Piauí), and also show that this particular palm tree harbors other triatomine species. Finally, we show that R. neglectus plays an important role in maintaining the enzootic circulation of T. cruzi and T. rangeli in the Brazilian savanna.

Prevalence, Genetic Characterization, and 18S Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Diversity of Trypanosoma rangeliin Triatomine and Mammal Hosts in Endemic Areas for Chagas Disease in Ecuador

“…This study confirmed the presence of T. rangeli in three mammalian orders: Didelphimorphia, Chiroptera, and Rodentia, and in 18 genera, thus extending the report of host diversity for this parasite (Maia da Silva et al 2004a, b, Pinto et al 2006, Gurgel-Goncalves et al 2012. However, infection rates reported in this study are low compared with others previously reported in Didelphimorphia and Chiroptera (Ramirez et al 2002, Ramirez et al 2014.…”

Molecular characterization of trypanosomatid infections in wild howler monkeys ( Alouatta caraya ) in northeastern Argentina

“…Each PCR run included an amplification reaction without DNA as a negative PCR mixture control and an amplification reaction with total DNA from the T. cruzi reference strain ( T. cruzi VI CL-Brener) and/or from T. rangeli stock from Brazil (Cuba Cuba C. personal communication; Gurgel-Gonçalves et al., 2012) as positive controls. Up to 10 μl of the amplified product by conventional PCR (kDNA-PCR and RibDNA-PCR) was analyzed by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis in TBE buffer containing ethidium bromide (0.5 μg/ml), which was added previously to the gel.…”

COLONIZATION OF PALM TREES BY Rhodnius neglectus AND HOUSEHOLD AND INVASION IN AN URBAN AREA, ARAÇATUBA, SÃO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

“…The first demonstration that palm trees are natural foci of American trypanosomiasis was made by FREITAS et al 14 , who showed that the crowns of macaubeiras (genus Acrocomia ) are refuges for opossums and bats, and they shelter triatomines that feed on these mammals. Subsequently, other authors 3,5,6,39 highlighted the importance of palm trees as natural ecotopes of triatomines, mainly of species of the genus Rhodnius , and they can function as ecological indicators of risk areas for Chagas disease, due to the presence of these vectors and hosts of the Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli transmission cycle 24 .…”