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Morales ME, Campo Verde Arbocco F, Muñoz-San Martín C, Abba AM, Ríos TA, Cassini GH, Cattan PE, Jahn GA, Superina M. High Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence in armadillo (Zaedyus pichiy; Xenarthra: Chlamyphoridae) populations from Mendoza, Argentina. Parasitol Res 2023:10.1007/s00436-023-07861-z. [PMID: 37184599 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07861-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Armadillos are considered important reservoir hosts for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The first report of T. cruzi infection in pichis (Zaedyus pichiy), a small armadillo species endemic to central Argentina and Chile, dates back to 1935. However, more recent reports on T. cruzi in this species are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess T. cruzi infection and parasite load in Z. pichiy from Mendoza Province, an area endemic to human Chagas disease. Blood samples were obtained in 2014-2016 from pichis from Lavalle (low Monte), Malargüe (Patagonian steppe), and San Carlos (ecotone) departments, Mendoza Province, Argentina. The detection and quantification of T. cruzi was performed through qPCR amplification using satellite primers. Of the 265 analyzed samples, 201 (76%) were positive for T. cruzi. Parasite loads varied between < 0.1-55.8 parasite-equivalents/mL (par-eq/mL), with a median of 1.1 par-eq/mL in quantifiable samples. The prevalence was similar in Malargüe and Lavalle (85-94%), but significantly lower in pichis from San Carlos (50%). Animals from Lavalle captured after hibernation had significantly higher parasite loads (median 2.0 par-eq/mL). In Malargüe, T. cruzi infection and parasite loads were significantly lower before than after hibernation in 2016. The high prevalence and low median parasite load suggest a chronic and persistent infection of T. cruzi in pichis. Regional differences and a marked increase in precipitation during 2015-2016 could have influenced annual and seasonal infection rates of this vector-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melisa E Morales
- Laboratorio de Medicina Y Endocrinología de La Fauna Silvestre, IMBECU, UNCuyo - CONICET, Av. Dr. Adrian Ruiz Leal S/N, Parque General San Martín, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Fiorella Campo Verde Arbocco
- Laboratorio de Reproducción Y Lactancia, IMBECU, UNCuyo - CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
- Universidad de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Catalina Muñoz-San Martín
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile
- Núcleo de Investigaciones Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias Y Agronómicas, Universidad de Las Américas, Campus Providencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Agustín M Abba
- CEPAVE, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Tatiana A Ríos
- CEPAVE, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Guillermo H Cassini
- División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-BR - CONICET), Av. Angel Gallardo 490, C1405DJR, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLu), Ruta 5 Y Av. Constitución, Luján (B), 6700, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pedro E Cattan
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Graciela A Jahn
- Laboratorio de Reproducción Y Lactancia, IMBECU, UNCuyo - CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Mariella Superina
- Laboratorio de Medicina Y Endocrinología de La Fauna Silvestre, IMBECU, UNCuyo - CONICET, Av. Dr. Adrian Ruiz Leal S/N, Parque General San Martín, Mendoza, Argentina.
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de Araújo-Neto VT, Barbosa-Silva AN, Medeiros Honorato NR, Sales LML, de Cassia Pires R, do Nascimento Brito CR, da Matta Guedes PM, da Cunha Galvão LM, da Câmara ACJ. Molecular identification of Trypanosoma cruzi in domestic animals in municipalities of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:207-215. [PMID: 36404367 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07719-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne zoonotic parasite which has been little studied regarding its infection in domestic animals. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of natural infection by T. cruzi in farm animals using molecular markers and phylogenetic analysis in blood clot samples of 60 sheep (Ovis aires), 22 goats (Capra hircus), and 14 horses (Equus caballus) in eight municipalities located in an infection risk area in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Northeast Region of Brazil. Trypanosoma spp. infection was identified by amplifying the rRNA 18S SSU gene in 48.9% of the samples. The SH022 sample showed 99.8% similarity with the Y strain of T. cruzi in phylogeny, grouped in the DTU II clade. Blood clots of sheep, goats, and horses detected T. cruzi kDNA in 28.3% (17/60), 22.7% (5/22), and 15.4% (2/14) of the samples, respectively. These animals were distributed in the three studied mesoregions throughout the state of RN. The identification of natural infection in domestic animals contributes to expand the epidemiological transmission scenario in an area where T. brasiliensis is the main vector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nathan Ravi Medeiros Honorato
- Graduate Program in Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | | | - Renata de Cassia Pires
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59012-570, Brazil
| | | | | | - Lúcia Maria da Cunha Galvão
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59012-570, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Antonia Claudia Jácome da Câmara
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59012-570, Brazil. .,Graduate Program in Parasite Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59064-741, Brazil.
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Enriquez GF, Bua J, Orozco MM, Macchiaverna NP, Otegui JAA, Argibay HD, Fernández MDP, Gürtler RE, Cardinal MV. Over-dispersed Trypanosoma cruzi parasite load in sylvatic and domestic mammals and humans from northeastern Argentina. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:37. [PMID: 35073983 PMCID: PMC8785451 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05152-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The distribution of parasite load across hosts may modify the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. Chagas disease is caused by a multi-host protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, but the association between host parasitemia and infectiousness to the vector has not been studied in sylvatic mammalian hosts. We quantified T. cruzi parasite load in sylvatic mammals, modeled the association of the parasite load with infectiousness to the vector and compared these results with previous ones for local domestic hosts. METHODS The bloodstream parasite load in each of 28 naturally infected sylvatic mammals from six species captured in northern Argentina was assessed by quantitative PCR, and its association with infectiousness to the triatomine Triatoma infestans was evaluated, as determined by natural or artificial xenodiagnosis. These results were compared with our previous results for 88 humans, 70 dogs and 13 cats, and the degree of parasite over-dispersion was quantified and non-linear models fitted to data on host infectiousness and bloodstream parasite load. RESULTS The parasite loads of Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossum) and Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo) were directly and significantly associated with infectiousness of the host and were up to 190-fold higher than those in domestic hosts. Parasite load was aggregated across host species, as measured by the negative binomial parameter, k, and found to be substantially higher in white-eared opossums, cats, dogs and nine-banded armadillos (range: k = 0.3-0.5) than in humans (k = 5.1). The distribution of bloodstream parasite load closely followed the "80-20 rule" in every host species examined. However, the 20% of human hosts, domestic mammals or sylvatic mammals exhibiting the highest parasite load accounted for 49, 25 and 33% of the infected triatomines, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the use of bloodstream parasite load as a proxy of reservoir host competence and individual transmissibility. The over-dispersed distribution of T. cruzi bloodstream load implies the existence of a fraction of highly infectious hosts that could be targeted to improve vector-borne transmission control efforts toward interruption transmission. Combined strategies that decrease the parasitemia and/or host-vector contact with these hosts would disproportionally contribute to T. cruzi transmission control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Fabián Enriquez
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Piso 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Jacqueline Bua
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología Dr. M. Fatala Chabén, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud Dr. C.G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Marcela Orozco
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Paula Macchiaverna
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Piso 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julián Antonio Alvarado Otegui
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Piso 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Hernán Darío Argibay
- Laboratorio de Patologia e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz/Fiocruz Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Esteban Gürtler
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Piso 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta Victoria Cardinal
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Piso 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Campos-Soto R, Díaz-Campusano G, Quiroga N, Muñoz-San Martín C, Rives-Blanchard N, Torres-Pérez F. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected triatomines and rodents co-occur in a coastal island of northern Chile. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9967. [PMID: 33088613 PMCID: PMC7568477 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the cause agent of Chagas disease, is transmitted mainly by blood-feeding insects of the subfamily Triatominae. The T. cruzi life cycle alternates between triatomines and mammalian hosts, excluding birds and reptiles. Triatomines of Mepraia genus are wild vectors of T. cruzi in Chile. Mepraia specimens infected with T. cruzi have been detected in Pan de Azúcar and Santa María islands. The most common vertebrates that inhabit these islands are birds and reptiles, and it is unknown whether small mammals are present. Consequently, it is relevant to know whether there are any T. cruzi-infected small mammals on those islands to elucidate the T. cruzi cycle. To clarify this crossroads, islands of northern Chile were explored to determine if T. cruzi-infected triatomines and rodents co-occur in islands of northern Chile. T. cruzi DNA was detected by conventional and real-time PCR in three islands: on Santa María and Pan de Azúcar islands T. cruzi was detected in Mepraia sp samples, while on Pan de Azúcar (6.1%) and Damas islands (15%) was detected in the rodent Abrothrix olivacea. We show for the first time in Chile the occurrence of insular rodents infected with T. cruzi, and a complete T. cruzi life cycle in a coastal island. Our results provide new insights to understand the T. cruzi infection in the wild cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Campos-Soto
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Gabriel Díaz-Campusano
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Nicol Quiroga
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina Muñoz-San Martín
- Núcleo de Investigaciones Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Campus Maipú, Universidad de Las Americas, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ninette Rives-Blanchard
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Torres-Pérez
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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