Dynamics of food sources, ecotypic distribution and Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Triatoma brasiliensis from the northeast of Brazil

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020 Sep 28;14(9):e0008735. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008735. eCollection 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Innovative approaches used to combat Chagas disease transmission tend to combine a set of comprehensive efforts to understand the ecology of local vectors. In this work we identified molecularly the blood meal of 181 Triatoma brasiliensis, distributed in 18 populations (8 sylvatic and 10 peridomestic), which were collected across a range of 240 km (East-West) and 95 km (North-South) in the semi-arid region of northeastern, Brazil. We used the vertebrate mitochondrial gene (cytochrome B) sequencing applied to DNA isolated from bug midgut to identify the insect blood meal sources via the BLAST procedure. The peridomestic populations were classified according to two main hypotheses of site-occupancy for T. brasiliensis: the first says that the infestation is mainly driven by structures that resemble its natural habitat (stony-like ecotopes) and the second assumes that it is associated with key-hosts (rodents and goats). Rodents of the Caviidae family (Galea spixii and Kerodon rupestris) were identified as the key-host of T. brasiliensis, but also the potential Trypanosoma cruzi reservoir-able to connect the sylvatic and domestic T. cruzi cycle. Cats also deserve to be studied better, as potential T. cruzi reservoirs. By modeling the food sources + site-occupancy + T. cruzi natural infection, we identified man-made ecotopes suitable for forming dense triatomine infestations with high rates of T. cruzi natural infection, which may be taken into account for vector control measures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Cats / parasitology
  • Chagas Disease / transmission
  • Cytochromes b / genetics
  • Disease Reservoirs
  • Ecotype*
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Goats / parasitology
  • Insect Vectors / parasitology
  • Rodentia / parasitology
  • Triatoma / parasitology*
  • Triatoma / physiology*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Cytochromes b

Grants and funding

CEA received grants from Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP), grant 16/08176-9, support type: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants; https://bv.fapesp.br/en/auxilios/94492/an-integrative-approach-to-morphological-and-molecular-diversity-of-triatoma-brasiliensis-the-main/). ML received a scholarship in Brazil (Doctorate) of FAPESP, grant 17/21359-8; https://bv.fapesp.br/en/bolsas/181550/integrated-molecular-approaches-to-elucidate-the-ecological-associations-of-triatoma-brasiliensis-f/). The continued collaboration between CEA and MH was supported by a bilateral cooperation between FAPESP and CNRS, grant 17/50329-0; support type: SPRINT Regular Research Grants; https://bv.fapesp.br/en/auxilios/99242/bilateral-cooperation-unicamp-cnrs-to-optimize-ongoing-studies-on-molecular-eco-epidemiology-on-ve/). CEA and JC are CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) Research Productivity Granted - PQ-2 (306357/2019-4 and 303363/2017-7). ML received a grant from SANTANDER Bank (DERI 056/2019) for international mobility. EFR was an Invited Professor granted by the University Paris Saclay, France (2020). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.