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Martinez Ibarra JA, Martinez BO, Rodas Martinez AZ, Flores RA, Garcia CIM, Franco ER, Villalobos G, Martinez Hernandez F. Trypanosoma cruzi in Wild and Synanthropic Mammals in Two Regions of Mexico: A Fieldwork and Genetic Discrete Typing Unit Review. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2024. [PMID: 38836751 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2023.0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Marsupials and rodents are the most important wild and synanthropic hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi due to the high frequency of infection, maintenance of diverse genetic populations of the parasite, and their close proximity to interact with both transmission cycles, sylvatic and peridomestic. Our aim was to identify the discrete typing units (DTU) of T. cruzi from different wild and synanthropic hosts in two regions of Mexico and to carry out a review of historical data focusing on current knowledge on the diversity and T. cruzi DTUs of host species. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifteen samples were obtained from two areas in Tabasco and Nayarit state. The presence of T. cruzi was evaluated by PCR. Results: The 12.6% (12/95) of samples from Tabasco and 65% (13/20) from Nayarit were found to be positive for parasite DNA. All the sequences analyzed were grouped in T. cruzi DTU I; low nucleotide diversity was observed in Tabasco (π = 0.00566, and ϴ = 0.00632), while high genetic diversity was observed in Nayarit sequences, up to 8.63 (π) to 11.10 (ϴ) times greater than Tabasco sequences. Genetic flow and migration between Tabasco, and Nayarit were scarce (FST = 0.37329 and Nm = 0.42), and genetic exchange was observed only between nearby areas. The bibliographic review of hosts in Mexico, together with our data, shows a heterogeneous T. cruzi prevalence in Chiroptera and domestic animals. For Atelidae and Canids, prevalence is generally below 25%. However, a high prevalence, greater than 25% and up to 100%, was recorded in Didelphimorphia, and Rodentia. Few studies in regions of Mexico have been described as infected with the parasite; in these, the genetic group with the highest prevalence is the DTU I. Conclusion: Marsupials and rodents are important reservoirs of T. cruzi; DTU I was frequently reported; however, recent genetic and reservoir studies have demonstrated the presence of greater diversity of genetic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brizia Oria Martinez
- Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González," Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Rafael Avila Flores
- División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, México
| | | | - Emilio Rendon Franco
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Guiehdani Villalobos
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fernando Martinez Hernandez
- Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González," Mexico City, Mexico
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2
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Mosley IA, Auckland LD, Light JE, Hamer SA. Apparent absence of Trypanosoma cruzi in Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) from Texas, USA. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2024; 51:101031. [PMID: 38772647 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is one of the most abundant mammals in North America. Mexican free-tailed bats have a wide geographic range stretching from northern South America to the western United States. Bats are theorized to be the original hosts for Trypanosoma cruzi -the causative agent of Chagas disease- and can serve as a source of infection to triatomine insect vectors that feed upon them. Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease across the Americas where triatomines are present, including the southern United States, where Texas reports this highest number of locally-acquired human cases. To learn more about the role of bats in the ecology of Chagas disease in Texas, we surveyed a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats from Brazos County, Texas, for T. cruzi using carcasses salvaged after an extreme weather event. A total of 283 Mexican free-tailed bats collected in February 2021 were dissected and DNA from the hearts and kidneys was used for T. cruzi detection via qPCR. None of the bat hearts or kidneys tested positive for T. cruzi; this sample size affords 95% confidence that the true prevalence of T. cruzi in this population does not exceed 1%. Future sampling of multiple bat species as well as migrant and resident colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats across different times of the year over a broader geographic range would be useful in learning more about the role of bats in the ecology of Chagas disease in Texas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana A Mosley
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Lisa D Auckland
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jessica E Light
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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3
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Juárez-Gabriel J, Alegría-Sánchez D, Yáñez-Aguirre D, Grostieta E, Álvarez-Castillo L, Torres-Castro M, Aréchiga-Ceballos N, Moo-Llanes DA, Alves FM, Pérez-Brígido CD, Aguilar-Tipacamú G, López González CA, Becker I, Pech-Canché JM, Colunga-Salas P, Sánchez-Montes S. Unraveling the diversity of Trypanosoma species from Central Mexico: Molecular confirmation on the presence of Trypanosoma dionisii and novel Neobat linages. Acta Trop 2024; 251:107113. [PMID: 38157924 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Bats are one of the groups of mammals with the highest number of associated Trypanosoma taxa. There are 50 Trypanosoma species and genotypes infecting more than 75 species of bats across five continents. However, in Mexico, the inventory of species of the genus Trypanosoma associated with bats is limited to only two species (Trypanosoma vespertilionis and Trypanosoma cruzi) even though 140 species of bats inhabit this country. Specifically, 91 bat species have been recorded in the state of Veracruz, but records of trypanosomatids associated with this mammalian group are absent. Due to the complex Trypanosoma-bat relationship, the high diversity of bat species in Veracruz, as well as the lack of records of trypanosomatids associated with bats for this state, the aim of this work was to analyze the diversity of species of the genus Trypanosoma and their presence from a bat community in the central area of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. During the period of January to August 2022 in the Tequecholapa Environmental Management Unit where bats were collected using mist nets and blood samples were obtained from their thumbs. We extracted genetic material and amplified a fragment of 800 bp of the 18S ribosomal gene of the genus Trypanosoma by conventional PCR. The positive amplicons were sequenced, and phylogenetic reconstruction was performed to identify the parasite species. A total of 285 bats (149♀, 136♂) belonging to 13 species from 10 genera and a single family (Phyllostomidae) were collected. Twenty-three specimens from six species tested positive for the presence of Trypanosoma dionisii, Trypanosoma sp. Neobat 4, and a potential novelty species provisionally named as Trypanosoma sp. Neobat 6. The results of the present work increase the number of species of the genus Trypanosoma infecting bats in Mexico and in the Neotropical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Juárez-Gabriel
- Maestría en Ciencias del Ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Tuxpan de Rodriguez Cano, Veracruz, México; Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
| | - Daniela Alegría-Sánchez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Peñuela, Universidad Veracruzana, Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz, México
| | - Damaris Yáñez-Aguirre
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Peñuela, Universidad Veracruzana, Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz, México
| | - Estefania Grostieta
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
| | - Lucía Álvarez-Castillo
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Ciudad Universitaria 3000, C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Marco Torres-Castro
- Laboratorio de Zoonosis y Otras Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vector, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
- Dirección de Diagnóstico y Referencia, Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez, Mexico City, México
| | - David A Moo-Llanes
- Grupo de Arbovirosis y Zoonosis, Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Fernanda Moreira Alves
- Laboratory of Trypanosomatid Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos D Pérez-Brígido
- Hospital Veterinario, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Tuxpan de Rodríguez Cano, Veracruz, México
| | - Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacamú
- CA. Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Carlos A López González
- CA. Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Ingeborg Becker
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
| | - Juan M Pech-Canché
- Laboratorio de Vertebrados Terrestres, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Tuxpan de Rodríguez Cano, Veracruz, México.
| | - Pablo Colunga-Salas
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México; Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa de Enríquez, Veracruz, México.
| | - Sokani Sánchez-Montes
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México; Laboratorio de Diagnóstico, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Tuxpan de Rodríguez Cano, Veracruz, México.
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4
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Suárez-Galaz A, Reyes-Novelo E, Hernández-Betancourt S, Panti-May A, Estrella E, Sánchez-Montes S, Noh-Pech H, Lugo-Caballero C, Colunga-Salas P, Peláez-Sánchez R, Sosa-Escalante J, Herrera-Flores BG, Rodríguez-Vivas RI, Torres-Castro M. Study on the relation of the characteristics of the capture sites with the Leptospira spp. occurrence in bats and rodents from Yucatan, Mexico. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107072. [PMID: 38008370 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to describe the natural Leptospira occurrence in small mammals from Yucatan, Mexico, and to explore the relation between the characteristics of the capture sites and the Leptospira occurrence. Bats and rodents were captured in five sites of Yucatan state, and from them, a kidney fragment was collected that was used in the genomic DNA extraction. Leptospira DNA was identified by PCR targeting the 16S-rRNA and LipL32 genes. Additionally, a bioinformatic analysis was carried out to know the Leptospira species and was corroborated with a phylogenetic tree. The assemblage of small mammals was compound of 82 (51.2 %) bats and 78 (48.8 %) rodents. A global frequency (bats plus rodents) of Leptospira occurrence of 21.2 % (34/160) was observed; in bats, it was 21.9 % (18/82), and in rodents, 20.5 % (16/78). The phylogenetic trees based on LipL32 gene showed that the recovered sequences most closely resemble the species L. borgpetersenii and L. noguchii. The ordination of the capture sites with tropical deciduous forests as original vegetation is more related to the abundance of Leptospira-infected rodents. The ordination of the capture sites with tropical sub-deciduous forests as original vegetation is more related to the diversity of Leptospira-infected bat species. The canonical ordering of the capture sites is by the original vegetation type and the diversity and abundance of Leptospira-infected bat and rodent species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Suárez-Galaz
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Enrique Reyes-Novelo
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Silvia Hernández-Betancourt
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Alonso Panti-May
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Erendira Estrella
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Sokani Sánchez-Montes
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico; Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Henry Noh-Pech
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - César Lugo-Caballero
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Pablo Colunga-Salas
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Ronald Peláez-Sánchez
- Escuela de Graduados, Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias de la Vida y la Salud, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Belén G Herrera-Flores
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Roger I Rodríguez-Vivas
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Marco Torres-Castro
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico.
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5
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De Fuentes-Vicente JA, Santos-Hernández NG, Ruiz-Castillejos C, Espinoza-Medinilla EE, Flores-Villegas AL, de Alba-Alvarado M, Cabrera-Bravo M, Moreno-Rodríguez A, Vidal-López DG. What Do You Need to Know before Studying Chagas Disease? A Beginner's Guide. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:360. [PMID: 37505656 PMCID: PMC10383928 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8070360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the most important tropical infections in the world and mainly affects poor people. The causative agent is the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, which circulates among insect vectors and mammals throughout the Americas. A large body of research on Chagas disease has shown the complexity of this zoonosis, and controlling it remains a challenge for public health systems. Although knowledge of Chagas disease has advanced greatly, there are still many gaps, and it is necessary to continue generating basic and applied research to create more effective control strategies. The aim of this review is to provide up-to-date information on the components of Chagas disease and highlight current trends in research. We hope that this review will be a starting point for beginners and facilitate the search for more specific information.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A De Fuentes-Vicente
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, Mexico
| | - Nancy G Santos-Hernández
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, Mexico
| | - Christian Ruiz-Castillejos
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, Mexico
| | | | - A Laura Flores-Villegas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | | | - Margarita Cabrera-Bravo
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Adriana Moreno-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca 68120, Mexico
| | - Dolores G Vidal-López
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, Mexico
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6
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Torres-Castro M, Suárez-Galaz A, Yeh-Gorocica A, Sánchez-Montes S, Arjona-Torres M, Panti-May A, Colunga-Salas P, Cruz-Romero A, Manrique-Saide P. A case of natural infection with Dirofilaria immitis in a coati ( Nasua narica) from Mexico. Helminthologia 2023; 60:106-111. [PMID: 37305665 PMCID: PMC10251755 DOI: 10.2478/helm-2023-0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper aims to describe the natural infection with Dirofilaria immitis in Nasua narica (white-nosed coati) from Yucatán, Mexico. Two carcasses of N. narica were collected on a highway that crosses through a dense forest with patches used for agriculture and livestock activities. We performed necropsies, and two female adult nematode parasites from the heart of one specimen were collected and preserved for their molecular identification using a conventional PCR directed at a fragment of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA (18S-rRNA) gene. Bioinformatic analysis showed a similarity of 99 % with three sequences from D. immitis (two from Japan). Additionally, we performed a phylogenetic tree with the recovered sequence. All these analyses showed that D. immitis is present in N. narica from Mexico. The transmission of D. immitis toward populations of Nasua sp. may be due to indirect and accidental contact with domestic dogs or wild canids that share the same environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Torres-Castro
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - A. Suárez-Galaz
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - A. Yeh-Gorocica
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - S. Sánchez-Montes
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano, Veracruz, México
| | - M. Arjona-Torres
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - A. Panti-May
- Laboratorio de Zoonosis y otras Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vector, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - P. Colunga-Salas
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa Enríquez, Veracruz, México
| | - A. Cruz-Romero
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Rancho Torreón del Molino, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Veracruz, México
| | - P. Manrique-Saide
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. Mérida, Yucatán, México
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7
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Federici L, Masulli M, De Laurenzi V, Allocati N. An overview of bats microbiota and its implication in transmissible diseases. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1012189. [PMID: 36338090 PMCID: PMC9631491 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1012189] [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: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent pandemic events have raised the attention of the public on the interactions between human and environment, with particular regard to the more and more feasible transmission to humans of micro-organisms hosted by wild-type species, due to the increasing interspecies contacts originating from human’s activities. Bats, due to their being flying mammals and their increasing promiscuity with humans, have been recognized as hosts frequently capable of transmitting disease-causing microorganisms. Therefore, it is of considerable interest and importance to have a picture as clear as possible of the microorganisms that are hosted by bats. Here we focus on our current knowledge on bats microbiota. We review the most recent literature on this subject, also in view of the bat’s body compartments, their dietary preferences and their habitat. Several pathogenic bacteria, including many carrying multidrug resistance, are indeed common guests of these small mammals, underlining the importance of preserving their habitat, not only to protect them from anthropogenic activities, but also to minimize the spreading of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Federici
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michele Masulli
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Laurenzi
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
| | - Nerino Allocati
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d' Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
- *Correspondence: Nerino Allocati,
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8
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Riana E, Arnuphapprasert A, Narapakdeesakul D, Ngamprasertwong T, Wangthongchaicharoen M, Soisook P, Bhodhibundit P, Kaewthamasorn M. Molecular detection of Trypanosoma (Trypanosomatidae) in bats from Thailand, with their phylogenetic relationships. Parasitology 2022; 149:654-666. [PMID: 35115070 PMCID: PMC11010503 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022000117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The vast majority of trypanosome species is vector-borne parasites, with some of them being medically and veterinary important (such as Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei) and capable of causing serious illness in vertebrate hosts. The discovery of trypanosomes in bats emphasizes the importance of bats as an important reservoir. Interestingly, there is a hypothesis that bats are ancestral hosts of T. cruzi. Trypanosome diversity has never been investigated in bats in Thailand, despite being in a biodiversity hot spot. To gain a better understanding of the diversity and evolutionary relationship of trypanosomes, polymerase chain reaction-based surveys were carried out from 2018 to 2020 in 17 sites. A total of 576 bats were captured, representing 23 species. A total of 38 (6.6%) positive samples was detected in ten bat species. Trypanosoma dionisii and Trypanosoma noyesi were identified from Myotis siligorensis and Megaderma spasma, respectively. The remaining 18S rRNA sequences of trypanosomes were related to other trypanosomes previously reported elsewhere. The sequences in the current study showed nucleotide identity as low as 90.74% compared to those of trypanosomes in the GenBank database, indicating the possibility of new species. All bat trypanosomes identified in the current study fall within the T. cruzi clade. The current study adds to evidence linking T. noyesi to a bat trypanosome and further supports the bat host origin of the T. cruzi clade. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study on bat trypanosomes in Thailand and their phylogenetic relationships with global isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Riana
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- The International Graduate Program of Veterinary Science and Technology (VST), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apinya Arnuphapprasert
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Veterinary Pathobiology Graduate Program, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Duriyang Narapakdeesakul
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Veterinary Pathobiology Graduate Program, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Pipat Soisook
- Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
- Harrison Institute, Bowerwood House, No. 15, St Botolph's Road, Sevenoaks, KentTN13 3AQ, UK
| | - Phanaschakorn Bhodhibundit
- Sai Yok National Park, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
| | - Morakot Kaewthamasorn
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Montes de Oca-Aguilar AC, González-Martínez A, Chan-González R, Ibarra-López P, Smith-Ávila S, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Ibarra-Cerdeña CN. Signs of Urban Evolution? Morpho-Functional Traits Co-variation Along a Nature-Urban Gradient in a Chagas Disease Vector. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.805040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental change (i.e., urbanization) impacts species in contrasting ways, with some species experiencing benefits given their way of life (i.e., blood-sucking insects). How these species respond to such change is not well understood and for species involved in human diseases, this “how” question is particularly important. Most Triatominae bug species inhabit tropical and subtropical forests where their vertebrate hosts’ temporal abundance depends on climate seasonality. However, in human encroached landscapes, triatomines can benefit from resource stability which may lead to adaptive phenotypic change to track novel hosts. We tested for an association between different landscapes and morpho-functional traits linked to sensory, motion, and feeding functions in Triatoma dimidiata and compared fecundity (i.e., number of eggs) in each landscape as a proxy of fitness. Using geometric and traditional morphometric tools, we predicted a morphological simplification in bugs inhabiting urbanized areas. While wing morphology or proboscis were not influenced by landscape class, the opposite occurred for thorax morphology and number of sensilla. Wing and thorax morphology did not covary under modified landscape scenarios, yet we detected a morpho-functional convergence for thorax size and antennal phenotype in both sexes, with a simplification trend, from nature to urban settings. Given no fecundity differences across landscapes, there is no potential reproductive costs. Moreover, the convergence of thorax size and antennal phenotype suggests differences in flight/locomotion performance and host/environment perception, as a possible adaptive response to relaxed selective pressures of the bug’s native habitat. These results imply that T. dimidiata could be adapting to urbanized areas.
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Gómez-Sánchez EF, Ochoa-Díaz-López H, Espinoza-Medinilla EE, Velázquez-Ramírez DD, Santos-Hernandez NG, Ruiz-Castillejos C, Vidal-López DG, Moreno-Rodríguez A, Flores-Villegas AL, López-Argueta E, De Fuentes-Vicente JA. Mini-exon gene reveals circulation of TcI Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) in bats and small mammals in an ecological reserve in southeastern Mexico. Zookeys 2022; 1084:139-150. [PMID: 35177949 PMCID: PMC8816842 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1084.78664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of mammals are involved in the sylvatic cycle of Trypanosomacruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. In many areas in Latin America where T.cruzi is endemic, this cycle is poorly known, and its main reservoirs have not been identified. In this study we analyzed T.cruzi infection in bats and other small mammals from an Ecological Reserve in southeastern Mexico. From January through March 2021, we captured wild individuals to extract cardiac and peripheral blood, and infection was detected by PCR of the mini-exon gene. In bats, the prevalence of infection was 16.36%, while in small mammals the prevalence was 28.57%. All of the samples that were positive for T.cruzi were identified as the TCI genotype. Our findings suggest that this zone, situated at the periphery of urban zones might have epidemiological relevance in the sylvatic cycle of T.cruzi and needs to be monitored. The infection of bats in this area is particularly concerning since the flight pattern of this populations overlaps with human settlements. Despite being subject to conservation protections, there continue to be anthropogenic actions that disturb the study area, which could exacerbate risks to public health.
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Quiroga N, Campos-Soto R, Yañez-Meza A, Rodríguez-San Pedro A, Allendes JL, Bacigalupo A, Botto-Mahan C, Correa JP. Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in Desmodus rotundus (common vampire bat) and Histiotus montanus (small big-eared brown bat) from Chile. Acta Trop 2022; 225:106206. [PMID: 34687642 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, is transmitted by infected feces or consumption of blood-sucking triatomine insects to several mammalian orders including Chiroptera. In Chile, the distribution of several insectivorous and one hematophagous bat species overlaps with those of triatomine vectors, but the T. cruzi infection status of local chiropterans is unknown. In 2018, we live-captured bats from two protected areas in Chile to collect plagiopatagium tissue, feces and perianal swab samples, in search for T. cruzi-DNA by real time PCR assays using species-specific primers. In Pan de Azúcar island (∼26°S), we examined a roost of Desmodus rotundus (common vampire bat) and sampled tissue from 17 individuals, detecting T. cruzi-DNA in five of them. In Las Chinchillas National Reserve (∼31°S), we examined two roosts of Histiotus montanus (small big-eared brown bat), collecting feces or perianal swab samples from eight individuals, detecting T. cruzi-DNA in four of them. This is the first report of T. cruzi-DNA evidence in bat species from Chile. Both vector-borne and oral transmission are potential infection routes that can explain our results. Further investigation is needed for a better understanding of the role of bats in the T. cruzi transmission cycle.
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