Triatoma costalimai Naturally Infected by Trypanosoma cruzi: A Public Health Concern

Abstract

The rupestrian Triatoma costalimai species has been found infected by Trypanosoma cruzi in wild, peridomicile, and intradomicile environments in the municipality of Aurora do Tocantins, Tocantins, Brazil. Proximity between rock outcrops increases the risk of vector transmission of Chagas disease via this species. This work describes a focus of colonization by T. costalimai specimens infected by T. cruzi in rock outcrops located in an urban area in this municipality. Parasitological examination of feces from the collected specimens, axenic cultivation of T. cruzi-positive samples, and genetic characterization of the isolates were performed. Nymph and adult specimens were collected with a high infection prevalence (64.5%) for T. cruzi discrete type unit (DTU I). Participation of the T. costalimai species in the wild cycle of T. cruzi in rock outcrops located in an urban area demonstrates the need for entomological surveillance and control of vector transmission of Chagas disease in the municipality of Aurora do Tocantins, Tocantins.

External female genitalia of Triatoma jatai, Triatoma costalimai and Triatoma williami (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

“…Triatoma costalimai , has a geographical distribution that covers the Brazilian states of Goiás, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, and Bahia, and has also been reported in Bolivia [ 4 , 11 ]. This species has been found in wild, peridomestic and intradomestic environments, in some cases with a high prevalence of infection with T. cruzi [ 4 , 10 , 12 , 13 ]. The rupestrian species T. williami Galvão, Souza & Lima, 1965, which is morphologically similar to T. costalimai , is found in the Cerrado Biome and Pantanal, in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso [ 4 ].…”

Triatoma costalimai, a neglected vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Cerrado savannas of South America: A comprehensive review

“…(2000) ; Brito et al. (2017a) ; Teves et al. (2019) ; see also Abad-Franch & Gurgel-Gonçalves (2021) …”

“…Examples include Triatoma barberi , Triatoma brasiliensis , Triatoma sordida , Triatoma pseudomaculata , Triatoma maculata , Rhodnius ecuadoriensis , and many others ( Abad-Franch et al., 2013 ; Waleckx et al., 2015 ; Abad-Franch, 2016 ; Abad-Franch & Gurgel-Gonçalves, 2021 ; Gürtler & Cecere, 2021 ; Rojas de Arias et al., 2022 ). One such species is Triatoma costalimai , which infests houses and peridomestic structures in parts of central Brazil ( Brito et al., 2017a ) and has recently been described as a cause of “public health concern” ( Teves et al., 2019 ). Here, we present a comprehensive review and synthesis of what is known about the systematics, ecology, and bionomics of T. costalimai , with an emphasis on (i) critically assessing the evidence base from a public-health perspective and (ii) identifying knowledge gaps that may hamper control-surveillance and thus require further attention.…”

Phenotypic and genetic variation of Triatoma costalimai (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

“…In the wild, T. costalimai occupies limestone outcrops in association with rodents, birds, and squamate reptiles; however, the species also invades and colonizes houses and peri-domestic structures in Goiás and Tocantins 6 . Trypanosoma cruzi infection in T. costalimai may vary from 13.7% ( n = 839) in specimens caught in and around houses 6 to 64.2% ( n = 53) in specimens caught in periurban rock outcroppings 7 . These data indicate that T. costalimai is a potential vector of Chagas disease.…”