Vertebrates as a food source for triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, in Argentina

BARBOZA, E; LOPEZ, C; BALSALOBRE, A; VICENTE, ME; MARTI G.A; CECCARELLI, S

La Plata

Congreso; II Congreso Latinoamericano de Ecología de Vectores (LA SOVE); 2022

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Chagas disease is caused by the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, where triatomines act as vectors, mammals as hosts, and vertebrates in general as reservoirs. Understanding the transmission cycles of T. cruzi, and therefore the relationship between the insect vector and the vertebrates that act as a food source, is crucial to design and implement effective control strategies around this problematic that mainly affects the countries of America. For this, an exhaustive bibliographical compilation of scientific works published between 1960 and 2022 was carried out, from various sources of information currently available. The aim of the current work was collecting, systematizing and updating the information on the association between triatomines and vertebrates. These associations were classified as direct when they were based on molecular analyses; and indirect when triatomines and vertebrates met together in time and space. In turn, all the countries on which the reports included the 15 species of triatomines distributed in Argentina were recorded. Vertebrates were classified according to their corresponding specific category. Around 215 papers were analyzed, of which approximately 47% presented data on the association studied. Also, 553 reports were obtained from the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. Regarding food sources, 10 orders of mammals were included (Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Chiroptera, Cingulata, Didelphimorphia, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla, Pilosa, Primates and Rodentia), as well as birds, amphibians and reptiles. The largest number of reports on vertebrates associated with triatomines corresponded to peridomicile animals such as cats, dogs, chickens, goats, pigs, etc. The only order associated with 100% of the argentine triatomines species was Rodentia. At the same time, it is clear that associations based on molecular analyzes represent much more robust evidence than indirect associations. According to this review Panstrongylus geniculatus, Triatoma infestans and Triatoma sordida are the most generalist argentine species of triatomines in their diet, presenting 11 different taxa as food sources for each of these species, also these were the triatomine species with the highest number of reports. In contrast, only one type of food source for Psammolestes coreodes and Triatoma breyeri were recorded. The systematized information was used to create a database on the argentine triatomines species and the associated vertebrate species as a food source. This data is necessary to create co-occurrence maps based on the geographical distribution of the species of vectors and their food sources, allowing the identification of areas of eco-epidemiological importance relevant to the transmission cycle of T. cruzi, in which reservoirs, vectors and hosts interact. The results obtained highlight the importance of directing future studies towards wild cycles, on which the information available is scarce.