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Trends in Parasitology Mar 2020Triatomines are blood-feeding insects that prey on vertebrate hosts. Their saliva is largely responsible for their feeding success. The triatomine salivary content has... (Review)
Review
Triatomines are blood-feeding insects that prey on vertebrate hosts. Their saliva is largely responsible for their feeding success. The triatomine salivary content has been studied over the past decades, revealing multifunctional bioactive proteins targeting the host´s hemostasis and immune system. Recently, sequencing of salivary-gland mRNA libraries revealed increasingly complex and complete transcript databases that have been used to validate the expression of deduced proteins through proteomics. This review provides an insight into the journey of discovery and characterization of novel molecules in triatomine saliva.
Topics: Animals; Insect Proteins; Insect Vectors; Proteomics; RNA, Messenger; Saliva; Salivary Glands; Triatominae
PubMed: 32007395
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.12.014 -
Salud Publica de Mexico May 2021No disponible.
No disponible.
Topics: Animals; Chagas Disease; Cities; Humans; Mexico; Reduviidae; Trypanosoma cruzi
PubMed: 34098615
DOI: 10.21149/12053 -
Current Opinion in Insect Science Aug 2019The processing and integration of sensory information are central to the ability of disease vector insects to find their hosts, and eventually transmit diseases.... (Review)
Review
The processing and integration of sensory information are central to the ability of disease vector insects to find their hosts, and eventually transmit diseases. Deciphering the underlying mechanisms and the modulation of their behavioral responses to host cues is likely to reveal molecular pathways and neural processes, which could then be targeted for reducing the transmission rates of pathogens. In addition, the double role of prey and predator played by hosts imposes unique challenges on vectors, making them an underexploited model to study the evolution of sensory neurobiology and of cognitive processes in miniature brains. Here, I review the most recent advances on the cognitive abilities of triatomine bugs and mosquitoes, with a particular emphasis on their ability to learn and remember information.
Topics: Animals; Cognition; Culicidae; Insect Vectors; Memory; Triatoma
PubMed: 31247420
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.04.002 -
Parasites & Vectors Dec 2022Chagas disease is considered to be endemic in up to 40% of the territory of Colombia, and to date 27 triatomine species have been reported the country. The purpose of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chagas disease is considered to be endemic in up to 40% of the territory of Colombia, and to date 27 triatomine species have been reported the country. The purpose of this study was to update the geographical distribution of triatomine species in Colombia and assess the species richness patterns and their altitudinal distribution.
METHODS
Occurrence data were compiled between 2007 and 2020, including from reports of entomological surveillance from the Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), the Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical (CIMPAT) at Universidad de Los Andes and a review of the literature. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to describe general species richness patterns of the Triatominae subfamily. To establish the altitudinal distribution of the triatomine species, ranges were obtained from reports with unique elevation values. A generalized linear model was fitted, based on a Poisson distribution, to test the relation between triatomine species richness and Chagas disease cases (2012-2019).
RESULTS
An updated geographical and altitudinal distribution for triatomine species in Colombia was established, with 507 municipalities added to the previously known distributions. The greatest triatomine richness in Colombia was found to be concentrated in the northeastern region of the country, extending towards the center to the departments of Arauca, Casanare and Meta. Regarding the altitudinal distribution, the study revealed that the species Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata have the greatest altitudinal ranges. The data also suggest a positive relation between species richness and number of Chagas disease cases reported per department.
CONCLUSIONS
Altitudinal ranges for 17 triatomine species found in Colombia are presented. Species richness and species composition patterns are also described, and areas with a higher risk of transmission based on the relation found with Chagas disease cases are highlighted. This updated distribution reveals that Panstrongylus geniculatus is the triatomine with the largest presence by municipalities in Colombia, being reported in 284 municipalities, followed by Rhodnius prolixus in 277 municipalities.
Topics: Animals; Colombia; Panstrongylus; Rhodnius; Triatoma; Chagas Disease
PubMed: 36463194
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05574-3 -
Developmental and Comparative Immunology Sep 2019Kissing bugs have long served as models to study many aspects of insect physiology. They also serve as vectors for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas... (Review)
Review
Kissing bugs have long served as models to study many aspects of insect physiology. They also serve as vectors for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease in humans. The overall success of insects is due, in part, to their ability to recognize parasites and pathogens as non-self and to eliminate them using their innate immune system. This immune system comprises physical barriers, cellular responses (phagocytosis, nodulation and encapsulation), and humoral factors (antimicrobial peptides and the prophenoloxidase cascade). Trypanosoma cruzi survives solely in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the vector; if it migrates to the hemocoel it is eliminated. Kissing bugs may not mount a vigorous immune response in the GI tract to avoid eliminating obligate symbiotic microbes on which they rely for survival. Here we describe the current knowledge of innate immunity in kissing bugs and new opportunities using genomic and transcriptomic approaches to study the complex triatomine-trypanosome-microbiome interactions.
Topics: Animals; Chagas Disease; Gene Expression Profiling; Genomics; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Insect Vectors; Rhodnius; Trypanosoma cruzi
PubMed: 31014953
DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.04.007 -
Acta Tropica Aug 2022Triatoma guasayana (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), considered a secondary vector of Chagas disease, invades rural dwellings through flight dispersal during the warm season in...
Triatoma guasayana (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), considered a secondary vector of Chagas disease, invades rural dwellings through flight dispersal during the warm season in semi-arid Chaco of Argentina. The objective of this study was to define and compare morphometrics features in the relative body size and wing shape of T. guasayana related to temperature and rainfall between spring, summer and end of summer. A total of 188 adults were collected in rural communities in the northwest of the province of Córdoba (central Argentina). Relative body size [body length (mm) / wing length (mm)] and 11 landmarks on the right wing were recorded. The temperature ( °C) and precipitation (mm) data were extracted from the MODIS sensor and Terra Climate dataset, respectively. Correlations between climatic variables and morphological variation were analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS). Males at the end of summer were smaller than those at spring or summer (F = 4.48; df = 2; p = 0.01), whereas females were similar in relative body size at all seasons (F = 0.76; df = 2; p = 0.47). The PLS in males showed a correlation between wing shape and temperature (r = 0.48; p = 0.03) and precipitation (r = 0.50; p = 0.02) while in females only the temperature was the correlation significant (r = 0.35; p = 0.03). Triatoma guasayana has elongated and thin wings in spring that become short and wide at the end of summer. The morphotype of early summer could allow sustained long-duration flights, while the morphotype of end of summer would be related to short flights, correlated with the dispersive behavior of the species. The results in this study suggest that wing morphology of T. guasayana has phenotypic plasticity, and that temperature and rainfall could be considered modulator factors during the developmental stage.
Topics: Animals; Argentina; Chagas Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Rural Population; Seasons; Temperature; Triatoma
PubMed: 35533712
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106488 -
Acta Tropica Jan 2022Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic zoonosis endemic in Brazil. Despite virtual control of Triatoma infestans, the main domesticated vector of Trypanosoma cruzi,...
Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic zoonosis endemic in Brazil. Despite virtual control of Triatoma infestans, the main domesticated vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, vectorial transmission by other triatomine species persists in some rural communities. This study aims to characterize triatomines role in transmitting T. cruzi to dogs and humans in the district of Santo Inácio, located in the northwest region of the state of Bahia, Brazil. It also describes environmental factors in housings associated with insect occurrence and assesses the perception, knowledge, and preventive practices adopted by the population regarding CD. Blood samples of humans and dogs, and biological samples of triatomines, were collected between November 2018 and February 2019 and subjected to the detection of T. cruzi by serological and molecular biology tests. Also, we applied a questionnaire to research the perception, knowledge, and local practices of people related to CD. The capture of triatomines in households was associated with exploratory variables of the questionnaires using multivariate logistic regression (p < 0.05). The 155 triatomines captured in the wild and domestic environment were of the species Triatoma sherlocki (n = 151), Panstrongylus sherlocki (n = 1) and Triatoma sordida (n = 3), and had a natural infection rate for T. cruzi by PCR of 18.5%, 100% and 0%, respectively. District residents (n = 126) were seronegative for T. cruzi, while 17.5% (7/40) of the dogs were seropositive. The fact that residents are aware that triatomines can "cause" CD was configured as a protection factor for residents according to the fitted logistic regression model (p = 0.04). However, respondents have limited perception and knowledge about the CD, prevention and control practices for triatomines in a household. The results suggest the existence of a domestic cycle of transmission of T. cruzi between triatomines and dogs, configuring a latent risk of infection to the human population of Santo Inácio. Studies that clarify the potential for the establishing of intrusive triatomines in households, surveillance actions for triatomines, and health education in rural communities are indispensable to prevent the reemergence of CD in vulnerable regions of Brazil and other American countries with similar epidemiological characteristics.
Topics: Animals; Brazil; Chagas Disease; Dogs; Humans; Insect Vectors; Triatoma; Trypanosoma cruzi
PubMed: 34637752
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106184 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Nov 2023To assess the attracting capacity of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes to Triatoma infestans, the Chagas disease vector, laboratory tests were conducted using individual...
To assess the attracting capacity of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes to Triatoma infestans, the Chagas disease vector, laboratory tests were conducted using individual compounds and mixtures to evaluate their potential use in baited traps for intradomicile population dynamics analysis. Commercial samples of hexanal, nonanal, and benzaldehyde were used at 95% purity. The experiments were performed at 25°C and 65% relative humidity using two procedures: a glass arena with filter papers impregnated with 1, 5, and 10 μL of the tested compounds and a double-choice olfactometer. Attraction was scored positively if the insect remained more than 30 seconds on one of the surfaces. The results of the study showed that hexanal was attractive to females at higher concentrations (5-10 μL; P < 0.0001), and IV instar nymphs were only attracted at the highest concentration (10 μL; P < 0.01). Nonanal was attractive to IV instar nymphs at 1 and 5 μL (P < 0.0001), whereas males and females were more attracted at 1 μL (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Benzaldehyde showed significant differences with respect to controls, attracting females at low concentrations (1 μL; P < 0.0001) and IV instar nymphs at 5 and 10 μL (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001, respectively). In the olfactometer, the 60:40 hexanal/nonanal mixture was the most effective. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes studied here, both individually and in mixtures, could be used as effective attractants for T. infestans in intradomicile-baited traps. These results suggest that mixtures of these compounds could be implemented in field trials for Chagas disease surveillance.
Topics: Humans; Male; Animals; Female; Triatoma; Benzaldehydes; Chagas Disease
PubMed: 37696519
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0277 -
Parasitology Research Feb 2022Due to its public health importance, as vectors of Chagas disease, the subfamily Triatominae, has received the attention of taxonomists. Knowing how to correctly... (Review)
Review
Due to its public health importance, as vectors of Chagas disease, the subfamily Triatominae, has received the attention of taxonomists. Knowing how to correctly identify these insects is of paramount importance for the surveillance and control of these vectors. Over many years, more than 40 triatomine subspecies were proposed. Infraspecific taxa are accepted as real entities in nature and recognized as biologically significant. Infraspecific diversity and population subdivision are frequently confused with the underlying mechanisms that lead to the formation of new species and species-level diversity. The distinction between infraspecific and interspecific divergence processes has received far less attention than species delimitation. In this work, new literature data on subspecies included in the subfamily Triatominae are presented. Data were compiled about Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma breyeri, Triatoma circummaculata, Triatoma dimidiata, Triatoma incrassata, Triatoma infestans, Triatoma phyllosoma, Triatoma protracta, Triatoma recurva, Triatoma rubida, Triatoma sanguisuga, Triatoma vitticeps, Panstrongylus megistus, Paratriatoma hirsuta, and Paratriatoma lecticularia subspecies. Although several of these subspecies have been synonymized, herein, we emphasize that some subspecies may be valid. Therefore, further studies are needed on the taxonomy, evolution, phylogeny, biogeography, ecology, physiology, and behavior of species to reinforce, or to invalidate the infraspecific status in the subfamily.
Topics: Animals; Chagas Disease; Ecology; Phylogeny; Triatoma; Triatominae
PubMed: 34984541
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07414-2 -
Current Opinion in Insect Science Aug 2019Blood feeding in arthropods has evolved in multiple lineages. This feeding preference provides a source of ample proteins and lipids for egg production and survival, but... (Review)
Review
Blood feeding in arthropods has evolved in multiple lineages. This feeding preference provides a source of ample proteins and lipids for egg production and survival, but ingestion of a large warm blood-meal can boost the arthropod's body temperature 15°-20°C within seconds to minutes. This represents one of, if not the most, rapid thermal change documented under a natural setting. Here, we describe mechanisms of thermoregulation and thermotolerance in arthropods during blood feeding. The ability to prevent blood-induced thermal damage is a fundamental physiological adaptation linked to the use of warm-blooded vertebrates as food sources. Specific functional and comparative studies have identified unique and divergent mechanisms that suppress or repair thermal stress during blood feeding. These mechanisms include countercurrent heat exchange, evaporative cooling, and upregulation of stress associated proteins.
Topics: Animals; Body Temperature Regulation; Culicidae; Feeding Behavior; Rhodnius; Thermotolerance; Ticks
PubMed: 31247421
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.003