Infection rates of the triatomine bug Triatoma rubida with Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, in the Tucson area of Arizona

C E REISENMAN; G LAWRENCE; P G GUERENSTEIN; T GREGORY; E DOTSON; J G HILDEBRAND

Washington, Delaware

Congreso; Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; 2009

American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Arizona has the most human-triatomine bug contacts in the USA (American Association of Poison Control Centers; Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center). Triatoma rubida is one of the most common “invading bugs” and is strongly associated with the pack rat Neotoma albigula. As humans move to the suburban areas of Tucson and invade the pack rat habitats, these contacts are becoming more frequent. To begin to assess the threat of Chagas transmission from these vectors, we analyzed 164 bugs found in and around houses for the presence of Trypansoma cruzi. These bugs were collected in 22 sites from May to December 2006 in the Tucson area, with over 60% of the adults collected during a two week period in late May and early June. 41.5% of the bugs were positive for T. cruzi and at least one infected bug was found at each collection site. Although no autochthonous cases have been reported in Arizona, the risk for transmission may be higher than previously thought.