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Beatty NL, Arango-Ferreira C, Gual-Gonzalez L, Zuluaga S, Nolan MS, Cantillo-Barraza O. Oral Chagas Disease in Colombia-Confirmed and Suspected Routes of Transmission. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:14. [PMID: 38251211 PMCID: PMC10819552 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) remains endemic throughout many regions of Colombia despite implementing decades of vector control strategies in several departments. Some regions have had a significant decrease in vectorial transmission, but the oral ingestion of Trypanosoma cruzi through consumption of contaminated food and drink products is increasingly described. This form of transmission has important public health relevance in Colombia due to an increase in reported acute CD cases and clinical manifestations that often lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Oral CD in Colombia has been associated with the consumption of contaminated fruit juices, such as palm wine, sugar cane, or tangerine juice and water for consumption, or contaminated surfaces where food has been prepared. Another interesting route of oral transmission includes ingestion of unbeknownst infected armadillos' blood, which is related to a traditional medicine practice in Colombia. Some earlier reports have also implemented consumption of infected bush meat as a source, but this is still being debated. Within the Amazon Basin, oral transmission is now considered the principal cause of acute CD in these regions. Furthermore, new cases of acute CD are now being seen in departments where CD has not been documented, and triatomine vectors are not naturally found, thus raising suspicion for oral transmission. The oral CD could also be considered a food-borne zoonosis, and odoriferous didelphid secretions have been implemented in contaminating the human dwelling environment, increasing the risk of consumption of infectious metacyclic trypomastigotes. In this article, we will discuss the complex transmission dynamics of oral CD in Colombia and further examine the unique clinical manifestations of this route of infection. New insights into the oral transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi are being discovered in Colombia, which can help bring increased awareness and a better understanding of this neglected tropical disease to reduce the burden of CD throughout Latin America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman L. Beatty
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Catalina Arango-Ferreira
- Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital San Vicente Fundación, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
- Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
| | - Lídia Gual-Gonzalez
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (L.G.-G.); (M.S.N.)
| | - Sara Zuluaga
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Melissa S. Nolan
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (L.G.-G.); (M.S.N.)
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
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De Bona S, Correa JP, San Juan E, Estay-Olea D, Quiroga N, Bacigalupo A, Araya-Donoso R, Botto-Mahan C. Opportunistic or selective? Stage-dependent feeding behavior in a wild vector of Chagas disease. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:55-64. [PMID: 36462561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The composition and contribution of different host species in the dynamics of vector-borne zoonotic parasites are particularly relevant for public health. Hence, the study of host selection by vectors is fundamental. Developmental stage and infection status are factors that may modulate vector feeding behavior. In the semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem of South America, the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causing Chagas disease, includes the triatomine vector Mepraia spinolai and several vertebrate species. In this field study, we examined whether M. spinolai exhibits an opportunistic feeding behavior dependent upon developmental stage and/or infection status. We found that M. spinolai does not feed according to the relative availability of vertebrate species. In addition, early stage nymphs (first/second instars) fed on twice as many different species as middle (third/fourth instars) and late (fifth instars and adults) M. spinolai, with the former feeding on native rodents and lizards and the latter mostly on rabbits. Infected and uninfected M. spinolai showed similar feeding profiles. Wild triatomine species might be described as stage-dependent selective blood feeders, as a consequence of the temporal and spatial scale at which host-vector interactions occur, highlighting that all developmental stages might be infected and capable of transmitting T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie De Bona
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juana P Correa
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile
| | - Esteban San Juan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Estay-Olea
- Instituto de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ICA3), Universidad de O'Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Nicol Quiroga
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carezza Botto-Mahan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile.
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Velásquez-Ortiz N, Hernández C, Cantillo-Barraza O, Ballesteros N, Cruz-Saavedra L, Herrera G, Buitrago LS, Soto H, Medina M, Palacio J, González MS, Cuervo A, Vallejo G, Zuleta Dueñas L, Urbano P, Muñoz M, Ramírez JD. Trypanosoma cruzi Parasite Burdens of Several Triatomine Species in Colombia. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120445. [PMID: 36548700 PMCID: PMC9782637 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, is mainly transmitted by insects of the Triatominae subfamily. In Colombia, there are 26 triatomine species, and 16 of them are naturally infected with the parasite. The parasite loads of naturally infected vectors can be significant in targeting specific species that can affect the epidemiology of the disease. Studying their ecology and behavior is vital to understand their role in T. cruzi transmission dynamics. We evaluated the parasite loads of 182 field-collected triatomines corresponding to 10 species in 13 departments across Colombia. We standardized a methodology to quantify T. cruzi DNA in these insects. We obtained a LOD (limit of detection) of 3.05 p-eq/mL. The 82% of triatomines we evaluated were positive for T. cruzi infection, with loads ranging from hundreds to millions of equivalent parasites per milliliter. Panstrongylus geniculatus, Rhodnius prolixus, and Triatoma dimidiata were the species with the highest loads of T. cruzi; however, other species whose role as vectors is still unknown were also found with high loads of parasites. Our results suggest the relevance of secondary species for T. cruzi transmission in Colombia. We hope our data can help improve entomological surveillance and vector control programs in the country and the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Velásquez-Ortiz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Hernández
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Centro de Tecnología en Salud (CETESA), Innovaseq SAS, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Nathalia Ballesteros
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lissa Cruz-Saavedra
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Giovanny Herrera
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Hugo Soto
- Laboratorio de Salud Pública del Cesar, Valledupar, Colombia
| | - Manuel Medina
- Programa de Control de ETV, Secretaría de Salud de Boyacá, Tunja, Colombia
| | - Jatney Palacio
- Laboratorio Departamental de Salud Pública del Departamento del Chocó, Quibdó, Colombia
| | | | - Andrés Cuervo
- Secretaría Departamental de Salud de Arauca, Arauca, Colombia
| | - Gustavo Vallejo
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Liliana Zuleta Dueñas
- Grupo de Vigilancia en Salud Pública, Secretaría de Salud de Casanare, Yopal, Colombia
| | - Plutarco Urbano
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biológicas de la Orinoquia, Universidad Internacional del Trópico Americano (Unitrópico), Yopal, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Correspondence: or
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May-Concha IJ, Escalante-Talavera MJ, Dujardin JP, Waleckx E. Does Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) modify the antennal phenotype of Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) (Hemiptera: Triatominae)? Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:466. [PMCID: PMC9749310 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05587-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Triatoma dimidiata is a vector of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. Phenotypic plasticity allows an organism to adjust its phenotype in response to stimuli or environmental conditions. Understanding the effect of T. cruzi on the phenotypic plasticity of its vectors, known as triatomines, has attracted great interest because of the implications of the parasite–triatomine interactions in the eco-epidemiology and transmission of the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. We investigated if the infection of the vector with T. cruzi may be associated with a change in the antennal phenotype of sylvatic, domestic, and laboratory-reared populations of T. dimidiata.
Methods
The abundance of each type of sensillum (bristles, basiconic, thick- and thin-walled trichoid) on the antennae of T.cruzi-infected and non-infected T.dimidiata reared in the laboratory or collected in sylvatic and domestic ecotopes were measured under light microscopy and compared using Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric tests and permutational multivariate analysis of variance.
Results
We found significant differences between sensilla patterns of infected and non-infected insects within sylvatic and domestic populations. Conversely, we found no significant differences between sensilla patterns of infected and non-infected insects within the laboratory-reared population. Besides, for sylvatic and domestic populations, sexual dimorphism tended to be increased in infected insects.
Conclusion
The differences observed in infected insects could be linked to higher efficiency in the perception of odor molecules related to the search for distant mates and hosts and the flight dispersal in search of new habitats. In addition, these insects could have a positive effect on population dynamics and the transmission of T.cruzi.
Graphical Abstract
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Chacón F, Bacigalupo A, Álvarez-Duhart B, Cattan PE, Solís R, Muñoz-San Martín C. The Parasite Load of Trypanosoma cruzi Modulates Feeding and Defecation Patterns of the Chagas Disease Vector Triatoma infestans. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051003. [PMID: 35630447 PMCID: PMC9143535 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of Chagas disease, a parasitic zoonosis transmitted mainly through the feces of triatomine insects. Triatoma infestans is the main triatomine vector of this disease in South America. Previous research has shown that T. cruzi infection modifies the behavior of triatomines. We evaluated, for the first time, the effect of parasite load on feeding and defecation behavior, which we quantified by using real-time PCR. The detection time of the host was shorter in infected individuals, and the number of bites increased, while the dejection time was reduced when compared with the non-infected group. A significant correlation between the parasite load and the behavioral changes registered in the infected triatomines was found. These results would indicate that the intensity of T. cruzi infection modulates the feeding and defecation behavior of T. infestans, increasing the vector competence of this triatomine vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Chacón
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.C.); (A.B.); (B.Á.-D.); (P.E.C.)
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.C.); (A.B.); (B.Á.-D.); (P.E.C.)
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Bárbara Álvarez-Duhart
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.C.); (A.B.); (B.Á.-D.); (P.E.C.)
| | - Pedro E. Cattan
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.C.); (A.B.); (B.Á.-D.); (P.E.C.)
| | - Rigoberto Solís
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (F.C.); (A.B.); (B.Á.-D.); (P.E.C.)
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (C.M.-S.M.); Tel.: +56-229-785-527 (R.S.); +56-229-785-637 (C.M.-S.M.)
| | - Catalina Muñoz-San Martín
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago 8370854, Chile
- Núcleo de Investigaciones Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Universidad de las Américas, Campus Providencia, Santiago 7500975, Chile
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (C.M.-S.M.); Tel.: +56-229-785-527 (R.S.); +56-229-785-637 (C.M.-S.M.)
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