Piesman J, Sherlock I A
Exp Parasitol. 1985 Apr;59(2):231-8. doi: 10.1016/0014-4894(85)90077-3.
Adult triatomine insects, Panstrongylus megistus, naturally infected with the protozoa, Trypanosoma cruzi, contained significantly more metacyclic trypomastigote forms in their digestive tracts than did P. megistus nymphs. Metacyclics were scarce in all stages of triatomines fed once on infected mammalian hosts and subsequently starved. In contrast, triatomines fed repeatedly on infected mammalian hosts developed prolific T. cruzi infections. Repeatedly fed adults contained 14 X more metacyclics than similarly fed nymphs. Nutritional factors appear to play a key role in regulating metacyclogenesis. Control campaigns designed to alter the age structure of populations of triatomines must take notice of the high transmission potential of the adult stage.
自然感染原生动物克氏锥虫的成年锥蝽昆虫——大锥蝽，其消化道中的循环后期锥鞭毛体形态比大锥蝽若虫显著更多。在所有阶段的锥蝽中，若只喂食一次受感染的哺乳动物宿主，随后使其饥饿，循环后期锥鞭毛体就很稀少。相比之下，反复喂食受感染哺乳动物宿主的锥蝽会出现大量克氏锥虫感染。反复喂食的成年锥蝽所含的循环后期锥鞭毛体比同样喂食的若虫多14倍。营养因素似乎在调节循环后期发育过程中起关键作用。旨在改变锥蝽种群年龄结构的防治行动必须注意成年阶段的高传播潜力。
