AUTHOR=Cantillo-Barraza Omar , Solis Cesil , Zamora Alexander , Herazo Rafael , Osorio María Isabel , Garcés Edilson , Xavier Samanta , Mejía-Jaramillo Ana María , Triana-Chávez Omar 

TITLE=Enzootic Trypanosoma cruzi infection by Rhodnius prolixus shows transmission to humans and dogs in Vichada, Colombia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.999082

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.999082

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p><italic>Rhodnius prolixus</italic> is considered the most relevant <italic>Trypanosoma cruzi</italic> vector in Colombia and Venezuela due it is responsible for domestic transmission in both countries. However, a wild population of this species is distributed in the eastern plains of the Orinoco region and Amazonia jungle, where its epidemiological importance has not been sufficiently elucidated. This study aimed to assess epidemiological parameters of <italic>T. cruzi</italic> transmission in the Department of Vichada, Colombia.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We determined the characteristics of <italic>T. cruzi</italic> transmission using entomological studies in domestic and sylvatic ecotopes. We analyzed the <italic>T. cruzi</italic> infection in triatomine insects, identified blood meal sources, and conducted a serological determination of <italic>T. cruzi</italic> infection in scholar-aged children, domestic dogs, and wild hosts.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Fifty-four triatomine bugs, 40 <italic>T. maculata</italic> and 14 <italic>R. prolixus</italic> were collected in peridomestic and sylvatic ecotopes. Infected <italic>R. prolixus</italic> was observed in La Primavera, Santa Rosalia, and Cumaribo municipalities. All the <italic>T. maculata</italic> bugs were not infected. Serological analysis indicated that two of 3,425 children were <italic>T. cruzi</italic> positive. The seroprevalence in domestic dogs was 10,5% (49/465). Moreover, 22 synanthropic mammals were sampled, being <italic>Didelphis marsupialis</italic> the most common. TcI genotype was detected in seropositive dogs, <italic>R. prolixus</italic>, and <italic>D. marsupialis.</italic></p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The present work describes extra domestic <italic>R. prolixus</italic> and <italic>D. marsupialis</italic> in a sylvatic <italic>T. cruzi</italic> transmission cycle with transmission to humans and domestic dogs in Colombia’s Vichada Department.</p></sec>