Comparative population dynamics of the bug Mepraia spinolai, a sylvatic vector of Chagas’ disease, in different hosts

Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine the impact of specific hosts on a population of Mepraia spinolai (Porter) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), a sylvatic vector of Chagas' disease in Chile. We assessed whether a recently introduced host could be an important epidemiological factor in maintaining Chagas' disease in Chile. The study stressed the variations in survival, individual weight and fecundity in the insect population when the vector was raised with a species-specific food supply. The study compared the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, introduced in Chile <or= 150 years ago, with a wild endemic rodent, Octodon degus. Hosts were placed separately in experimental glass chambers. Groups of insects maintained with rabbits had greater fecundity than those raised with rodents, but both groups had similar survival times and average weights. Both O. degus and the European rabbit appear to be suitable hosts for M. spinolai, but the rabbit is better than the rodent. Additional research is needed to determine which factors of O. cuniculus produce the observed results.

Lizards and rabbits may increase Chagas infection risk in the Mediterranean-type ecosystem of South America

“…This suggestion is supported by two facts: (i) rabbit burrows frequently occur next to M. spinolai colonies 18 , and (ii) rabbits have mostly nocturnal habits while M. spinolai is a predominantly diurnal species, therefore, facilitating feeding activity on resting rabbits 20 . Furthermore, when fed separately on different mammal species under laboratory conditions, kissing bugs reach the highest fecundity when fed on rabbits 31 . Our result stresses the importance of the alien European rabbit, described as a plague in the Mediterranean-type ecosystem of South American 20 , as a critical feeding resource for kissing bug populations 32 .…”

Trypanosoma cruzi infection reduces the population fitness of Mepraia spinolai, a Chagas disease vector

“…Huang and Chi (2012), Huang et al (2018) and Chi et al (2020) discussed the problems of the ignorance of stage differentiation and male populations. Acuña‐Retamar et al (2009) reported that M. spinolai could survive starvation for more than 2 months. In this study, the female mean longevity was longer than 470 days, while the male mean longevity was longer than 500 days.…”

A review of data on laboratory colonies of bed bugs (Cimicidae), an insect of emerging medical relevance

“…Food quality, including relative proportions of blood cells and plasma, may influence insect biology and affect bug colonies. Low blood viscosity will support a shorter period of bloodsucking, which may fail to elicit a behavioural response by the host [ 2 ].…”

“…As a result, laboratory rearing of bed bugs is particularly important in understanding their vectorial role and in studying the association between natural conditions and laboratory situations for further experiments. Previous studies have demonstrated the adaptability of bugs to a wide range of environmental factors [ 2 ]. Laboratory colonies should experimentally reproduce the natural living conditions of bugs in a controlled environment to obtain consistent results in scientific research.…”