Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Cátedra de Introducción a la Biología. Córdoba, Argentina, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT-CONICET), Avda. Vélez Sarsfield 299, piso 5, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
Cátedra de Artrópodos. Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Avda. Libertad 5470, 3400, Corrientes, Argentina.
Parasitol Res. 2020 Sep;119(9):2775-2781. doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06822-0. Epub 2020 Aug 1.
Triatoma platensis is occasionally found coexisting with Triatoma infestans in chicken coops in Argentina. Some authors have reported the presence of hybrid specimens of both species in chicken coops and other peridomestic habitats. Given the coexistence of T. infestans with T. platensis and the possibility of generating fertile hybrids, it is important to evaluate the vectorial competence of these hybrids. The objective of this study was to record the dynamics of feeding-defecation behavior in fifth-stage nymphs and adults of hybrids between both species and to compare it with T. platensis and T. infestans. Three experimental groups were formed separated by stage and sex: Hybrid group, T. infestans group, and T. platensis group. During feeding, the following variables were recorded for each group: (i) blood meal size, (ii) feeding time, (iii) number of defecations during feeding, and (iv) number of defecations at 10 and 30 min after feeding. The results indicate that adults and fifth-instar nymphs of hybrids have a feeding and defecation behavior similar to T. infestans: they achieve feeding in a short time and first defecation occurs during or just after feeding. Nevertheless, hybrid's ingestion of blood occurs at higher velocity and they require higher blood intake to provoke early defecations. Considering the blood ingestion velocity, the amount of blood ingested, and the short time required for the production of the first defecation, the results of this study suggest that hybrid can be a competent Trypanosoma cruzi vector.
在阿根廷的鸡舍中，偶尔会发现 Triatoma platensis 与 Triatoma infestans 共存。一些作者报告说，在鸡舍和其他周边环境中存在这两个物种的杂交标本。鉴于 T. infestans 与 T. platensis 的共存以及产生可育杂种的可能性，评估这些杂种的媒介能力非常重要。本研究的目的是记录两种物种杂交的第五龄若虫和成虫的摄食-排粪行为动态，并将其与 T. platensis 和 T. infestans 进行比较。通过阶段和性别将三个实验组分开：杂交组、T. infestans 组和 T. platensis 组。在摄食过程中，记录了每个组的以下变量：（i）血餐大小，（ii）摄食时间，（iii）摄食过程中的排粪次数，以及（iv）摄食后 10 和 30 分钟的排粪次数。结果表明，杂交的成虫和第五龄若虫具有类似于 T. infestans 的摄食和排粪行为：它们在短时间内完成摄食，第一次排粪发生在摄食过程中或之后。然而，杂交的血液摄入速度较高，需要更高的血液摄入量才能引起早期排粪。考虑到血液摄入速度、摄入的血量以及第一次排粪所需的短时间，本研究的结果表明，杂交可以成为一种有能力的 Trypanosoma cruzi 传播媒介。
