Eco-epidemiology of the vector-borne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in domestic habitats.

GURTLER RE; FERNÁNDEZ MP.; CARDINAL MV

Triatominae: The Biology of Chagas Disease Vectors

Springer

Lugar: Charn; Año: 2021;

Triatomine species largely differ in their degrees of adaptation to thrive in domestic habitats, blood-feed on humans, and transmit Trypanosoma cruzi. Pathogen transmission dynamics are shaped by ecological, biological and social factors. Here we link housing quality and host availability to the host-feeding patterns of domestic triatomines, and examine how their blood-feeding performance affects temperature-dependent vital rates and bug population dynamics. The stability/instability habitat divide connects with the large/small triatomine population size dichotomy, and on whether bug population dynamics are density-dependent or -independent and dominated by stochasticity. Seasonal variations in temperature acting on triatomine blood-feeding activity and human-vector contact rates determined the spring peak of symptomatic acute cases of Chagas disease in northern Argentina across four decades. The presence of domestic animals (dogs, cats and chickens) and commensal rodents increases domestic infestation, vector infection and parasite transmission across multiple settings and triatomine species. Both ecological and social factors contribute to human infection risk through social vulnerability, mobility patterns and housing instability. Understanding the interactions among eco-bio-social factors may lead to the design and implementation of improved, sustainable disease control or elimination strategies.