Geographic distribution and eco-biology of wild Triatoma infestans in Bolivia.

BUITRAGO R; DEPICKÈRE S; GORLA, DE; BRENIERE, F

Congreso; II International Workshop on Chagas Disease, triatomine vectors, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Triatoma virus.; 2012

<!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; direction: ltr; color: #000000; line-height: 115%; widows: 2; orphans: 2 } P.western { font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; so-language: es-MX } P.cjk { font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; so-language: zh-CN } P.ctl { font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; so-language: ar-SA } A:link { color: #0000ff } --> Geographic distribution and eco-biology of wild Triatoma infestans in Bolivia. Rosio Buitrago1Stéphanie Depickère,2 David E Gorla3, Frédérique Brenière1,2. 1MIVEGEC (UM 1 and 2, CNRS 9052, IRS224), IRD, Representation in Bolivia, Av Hernando Siles #5290, Esq Calle 7 Obrajes, CP 9214, La Paz, Bolivia. 2Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud (INLASA), Laboratorio de Entomología Médica, 14 Rafael Zubieta #1889, Miraflores, Casilla M-10019, La Paz, Bolivia. 3Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR), La Rioja, Argentina Introduction: Despite numerous reports of wild foci of Triatoma infestans, mainly in Bolivia, but also in Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, the eco-biology of wild T. infestans is still poorly known. Objectives: This communication aims at describing the eco-distribution of wild T. infestans and some biological characteristics of these populations in Bolivia. Methodology: A systematic search of wild foci of T. infestans was developed in 7 ecoregions of Bolivia, linking environmental variables that contributed to the actualization of a predictive map of the geographic distribution of T. infestans. In one Andean site (a semi-anthropized field in a valley of the La Paz Department), the method of capture-mark-recapture was applied during one year for entomological surveillance of T. infestans. Also, the blood meals of bugs were determined through heteroduplex assay and sequencing. Results: The discovery of 44 new sites of wild T. infestans identified in three ecoregions (Inter-Andean dry Forest, Prepuna and Gran Chaco) showed a discontinuous distribution between Andes and lowlands. Habitats were mostly rupicola in Andes, and arboreal in Gran Chaco. New habitats were described in Inter-Andean Dry Forest. In Andes, slight quantitative variations of triatomines between captures were observed among seasons; rain being a factor of mortality. The capture-mark-recapture method recorded significant displacements of nymphs and adults and times of longevity. Wild populations were heavily infected with T. cruzi, mostly belonging to the DTU TcI. Of 114 blood meals identified, 8 wild mammal species were detected, two of them being the principal ones and potential reservoirs. Also 27 human blood meals were detected suggesting the possibility of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission outside the man´s house. Conclusion: The wide distribution of the wild populations of T. infestans in Bolivia has been demonstrated, especially in the Inter-Andean Dry Forest. The preliminary description of some eco-biological characteristics of these populations contributes to the understanding of the epidemiological risk of wild T, infestans in the context of Chagas disease. Financial support: This work was supported by the National Agency for Research (ANR No 3624, France), and the IRD, the European Commission Framework Programme Project ??Comparative epidemiology of genetic lineages of Trypanosoma cruzi?? ChagasEpiNet, Contract No. 223034.