New Scenarios of Chagas Disease Transmission in Northern Colombia

Abstract

Chagas disease (CD) is a systemic parasitic infection caused by the flagellated form of Trypanosoma cruzi. Córdoba department, located in the Colombian Caribbean Coast, was not considered as a region at risk of T. cruzi transmission. In this article, we describe the first acute CD case in Salitral village in Sahagún, Córdoba, confirmed by microscopy and serological tests. Our results draw attention to a new scenario of transmission of acute CD in nonendemic areas of Colombia and highlight the need to include CD in the differential diagnosis of febrile syndromes in this region.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection in domestic and synanthropic mammals such as potential risk of sylvatic transmission in a rural area from north of Antioquia, Colombia

“…Historically, domestic and peridomestic T. cruzi transmission cycles are the most important in the epidemiology of Chagas disease in Colombia ( Guhl and Ramírez, 2013 ; Coura et al, 2014 ). However, in the last decade, several studies in regions without the presence of primary vectors, and with reports of acute Chagas disease outbreaks have shown the relevance of sylvatic T. cruzi transmission in this country ( Cantillo-Barraza et al, 2015 ; Ramirez et al, 2013b ; Tovar Acero et al, 2017 ). In this study, we performed an eco-epidemiological survey in one area of the Colombian Andean region that had reported the intrusion of P. geniculatus .…”

Distribution and natural infection status of synantrophic triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, reveals new epidemiological scenarios for chagas disease in the Highlands of Colombia

“…This species has been the main target of vector control programs in Colombia, whose efforts have resulted in the interruption of within household (intradomiciliary) transmission of T. cruzi by R. prolixus in 63 municipalities in 6 departments [9][10][11]. However, other invasive species of the genus Triatoma and Panstrongylus have gained importance in recent years due to their presence in homes, natural infection rates with T. cruzi, and incrimination as vectors [12][13][14].…”

Systematic review on the biology, ecology, genetic diversity and parasite transmission potential of Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille 1811) in Latin America

“…This new scenario implies an increased risk of transmission in endemic and nonendemic areas of Chagas disease, either by direct contact or via food contamination. (92,93) Table III shows 45 registered reports of intrusion by adult P. geniculatus in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Surinam and Venezuela. Despite growing awareness of the relevance of the transmission dynamics of P. geniculatus, the drivers of house invasion remain poorly understood.…”

“…This report was based on an acute case of the disease in which the patient did not present lesions on the skin or in the periocular region that indicated the bite of the insect. (92) The transmission sources for two oral outbreaks were identified, one of them in the Colombian town of Restrepo, Meta. By epidemiological analysis, genotyping and allele identification of seven T. cruzi microsatellites in the samples obtained from patients, as well as insects and reservoirs implicated in the outbreaks, they determined that this outbreak was caused by fecal con-tamination of arepa and pineapple juices by P. geniculatus.…”