High Triatoma brasiliensis densities and Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence in domestic and peri-domestic habitats in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: the source for Chagas disease outbreaks?

MAURICIO LILIOSO; ELAINE FOLLY-RAMOS; FABIANA ROCHA; JORGE RABINOVICH; CLAIRE CAPDEVIELLE-DULAC; MYRIAM HARRY; PAULA MARCET; JANE COSTA; CARLOS ALMEIDA

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE

Lugar: Stanford; Año: 2016

0002-9637

Atotal of 2,431 Triatoma brasiliensis were collected from 39 populations ofParaíba (PB) and Rio Grande do Norte (RN) states. In PB, no Trypanosoma cruzi infectionwas detected in domestic neither in peri-domestic vector populations. Incontrast, in RN peri-domestic T.  brasiliensisshowed a high overall parasite prevalence (30.7%) along with hightriatomine  density, being more thantwice (19.17 triatomine/man-hour) the densities of all other settings evaluated(<8.94 triatomine/man-hour). Parasites genotyped evidenced a mix of T. cruzilineages circulating in both peridomestic and sylvatic populations. Althoughvector control efforts have dramatically decreased Chagas disease transmissionto humans, recent outbreaks have been detected in RN in four municipalitiesaround our study area. In this state, our results clearly evidenced a worrisomeproximity between infected vectors and humans. Therefore, this scenario callsfor strengthening vector control surveillance and possible intervention toprevent further Chagas transmission.