Pineda Vanessa, Montalvo Edilma, Alvarez Dayra, Santamaría Ana María, Calzada Jose Eduardo, Saldaña Azael
Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Republic of Panama.
Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2008 Mar-Apr;50(2):113-6. doi: 10.1590/s0036-46652008000200009.
The sylvatic triatomine Rhodnius pallescens is considered to be the most important and widespread vector of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli in Panama. However, its behavior and biological characteristics have only been partially investigated. Thus, to achieve sustainable and efficient control over Chagas disease in Panama, a better understanding of the ecology and biology of R. pallescens is essential. In this study we evaluated R. pallescens host feeding sources using a dot-blot assay, and the trypanosome infection index by PCR analysis in a Chagas disease endemic area of central Panama. It was found that in peridomestic palm trees, 20.3% of the examined bugs had fed on opossums (Didelphis marsupialis). However, we observed an increased anthropophagy (25.4%) for those bugs collected inside houses. Considering the domestic and peridomestic habitats as a whole, the proportion of collected R. pallescens infected with trypanosomes was 87.4%. In the two habitats the predominant infection was with T. cruzi (80-90%). Between 47-51% of the analyzed triatomines were infected with T. rangeli. Mixed infections (40-51%) were also detected. These findings provide a better basis for the implementation of a rational control and surveillance program for Chagas disease in regions where R. pallescens is endemic.
野生红带锥蝽被认为是巴拿马克氏锥虫和兰氏锥虫最重要且分布最广的传播媒介。然而，其行为和生物学特性仅得到了部分研究。因此，为了在巴拿马实现对恰加斯病的可持续和有效控制，更好地了解红带锥蝽的生态学和生物学特性至关重要。在本研究中，我们在巴拿马中部恰加斯病流行地区，使用斑点杂交分析法评估了红带锥蝽的宿主取食来源，并通过聚合酶链反应分析了锥虫感染指数。结果发现，在住宅周边的棕榈树上，20.３%的受检锥蝽吸食过负鼠（南美袋鼬）的血液。然而，我们观察到，在屋内收集到的锥蝽中，吸食人血的比例有所增加（25.4%）。从住宅和住宅周边栖息地整体来看，采集到的感染锥虫的红带锥蝽比例为87.4%。在这两个栖息地，主要感染的是克氏锥虫（80%-90%）。47%-51%的分析样本感染了兰氏锥虫。还检测到了混合感染（40%-51%）。这些发现为在红带锥蝽流行地区实施合理的恰加斯病控制和监测计划提供了更好的依据。
