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Chan-Espinoza D, Ruiz-Piña HA, Canché-Pool EB, Reyes-Novelo E. Spatial distribution of Triatoma dimidiata peridomestic colonies modulated by distance between susceptible microhabitat patches. Acta Trop 2024; 253:107169. [PMID: 38432403 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Triatoma dimidiata is a vector of the hemoparasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease. It settles reproductive colonies in the peridomicile of the premises. The peridomicile is comprised of a random set of artificial and natural features that overlap and assemble a network of microenvironmental suitable sites (patches) that interact with each other and favor the structure and proliferation of T. dimidiata colonies. The heterogeneity of patch characteristics hinders the understanding and identification of sites susceptible to colonization. In this study, a classification system using a random forest algorithm was used to identify peridomiciles susceptible to colonization to describe the spatial distribution of these sites and their relationship with the colonies of T. dimidiata in ten localities of Yucatan. From 1,000 peridomiciles reviewed, the classification showed that 13.9 % (139) of the patches were highly susceptible (HSP), and 86.1 % (861) were less susceptible (LSP). All localities had at least one HSP. The occupancy by patch type showed that the percentage of total occupancy and by colonies was higher in the HSP, while the occupancy by adult T. dimidiata without evidence of nymphs or exuviae (propagules) was higher in the LSP. A generalized additive model (GAM) revealed that the percentage of occupied patches increases as the abundance of individuals in the localities increases however, the percentage of occupied patches in LSP is lower than occupied in HSP. Distance analyses revealed that colonies and propagules were located significantly closer (approximately 200 m) to a colony in a HSP than any colony in a LSP. The distribution of T. dimidiata in the localities was defined by the distribution of patch type; as the occupancy in these patches increased, a network of peridomestic populations was configured, which may be promoted by a greater abundance of insects inside the localities. These results reveal that the spatial distribution of T. dimidiata individuals and colonies in the peridomicile at the locality scale corresponds to a metapopulation pattern within the localities through a system of patches mediated by distance and level of the vectors' occupancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Chan-Espinoza
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 490 por 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, Mexico
| | - Hugo A Ruiz-Piña
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 490 por 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, Mexico
| | - Elsy B Canché-Pool
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 490 por 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, Mexico
| | - Enrique Reyes-Novelo
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 490 por 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, Mexico.
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Dorn PL, Monroy MC, Stevens L. Sustainable, integrated control of native vectors: The case of Chagas disease in Central America. Front Trop Dis 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.971000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite successes in reducing transmission, Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) remains the greatest economic burden of any parasitic disease in Latin America afflicting mostly the poor and further contributing to poverty. We review a long-term (2001-2022), integrated Ecohealth approach that addresses sustainable development goals to reduce risk of Chagas transmission by the main native vector in Central America, Triatoma dimidiata, s.l. The basis of the Ecohealth intervention was the identification of the risk factors for house infestation, an understanding of and collaboration with local communities, and genetic and proteomic studies that revealed the epidemiology and mechanisms of the rapid reinfestation seen following insecticide application. We review the development of this approach from a pilot project in two Guatemalan villages, to an expanded initiative across three countries with vastly different ecology, cultures, and municipal organization, and finally development of a multi-institutional, large-scale project to develop a strategy to tackle the remaining hot spots in Central America. This integrated Ecohealth approach resulted in reduced risk of transmission as measured by a sustained decrease in house infestation without further use of insecticides, a reduction in vectors with human blood meals and the Chagas parasite, as well as other health and economic benefits. We discuss lessons learned and how this approach could be applied to other vector-borne diseases.
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Pereira FM, Penados D, Dorn PL, Alcántara B, Monroy MC. The long-term impact of an Ecohealth intervention: Entomological data suggest the interruption of Chagas disease transmission in southeastern Guatemala. Acta Trop 2022; 235:106655. [PMID: 35977598 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Triatoma dimidiata is the main vector of Chagas disease in southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. As a native vector, it moves readily among domestic, peri-domestic and sylvatic environments, making it difficult to control only using insecticide as this requires regular application, and re-infestation frequently occurs. Other social innovation alternatives such as those based on Ecohealth principles can be used to tackle the dynamics of the disease in an integral way. We asked whether an Ecohealth intervention, implemented beginning in 2001 in a highly infested village, 41.8%, in southeastern Guatemala, was sustainable in the long term. This intervention included initial insecticide treatments, followed by making low-cost house improvements to eliminate transmission risk factors such as repairing cracked walls, covering dirt floors with a cement-like substance and moving domestic animals outside. We assessed the long-term sustainability through entomological and house condition surveys, as well as an analysis of community satisfaction. We found over a 19-year period, infestation with T. dimidiata was reduced to 2.2% and maintained at a level below the level (8%) where vector transmission is unlikely. This long-term maintenance of low infestation coincided with a large proportion of villagers (88.6%) improving their houses and completing other aspects of the Ecohealth approach to maintain the village at low risk for Chagas transmission. There was unanimous satisfaction among the villagers with their houses, following improvements using the Ecohealth method, which likely played a role in the long-term persistence of the modifications. Although the infestation has remained low, 11 years following the last intervention and as the population grew there has been an increase in the proportion of "at-risk" houses, to 33%, pointing out the necessity of maintaining vigilance. The Ecohealth approach is a low-cost, sustainable approach for the long-term control of vector-borne Chagas disease. We recommend this approach including ongoing community monitoring and institutional response for the long-term, integrated control of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredy Manolo Pereira
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, Guatemala.
| | - Daniel Penados
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Patricia L Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| | - Belter Alcántara
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - María Carlota Monroy
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, Guatemala
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Velásquez-Ortiz N, Hernández C, Cantillo-Barraza O, Medina M, Medina-Alfonso M, Suescún-Carrero S, Muñoz M, Vega L, Castañeda S, Cruz-Saavedra L, Ballesteros N, Ramírez JD. Estimating the genetic structure of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) and the transmission dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi in Boyacá, eastern Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010534. [PMID: 35816541 PMCID: PMC9302734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is considered a public health issue in Colombia, where many regions are endemic. Triatoma dimidiata is an important vector after Rhodnius prolixus, and it is gaining importance in Boyacá, eastern Colombia. Following the recent elimination of R. prolixus in the region, it is pivotal to understand the behavior of T. dimidiata and the transmission dynamics of T. cruzi. We used qPCR and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to evaluate T. cruzi infection, parasite load, feeding profiles, and T. cruzi genotyping for T. dimidiata specimens collected in nine municipalities in Boyacá and explored T. dimidiata population genetics. We found that T. dimidiata populations are composed by a single population with similar genetic characteristics that present infection rates up to 70%, high parasite loads up to 1.46 × 109 parasite-equivalents/mL, a feeding behavior that comprises at least 17 domestic, synanthropic and sylvatic species, and a wide diversity of TcI genotypes even within a single specimen. These results imply that T. dimidiata behavior is similar to other successful vectors, having a wide variety of blood sources and contributing to the circulation of different genotypes of the parasite, highlighting its importance for T. cruzi transmission and risk for humans. In the light of the elimination of R. prolixus in Boyacá and the results we found, we suggest that T. dimidiata should become a new target for vector control programs. We hope this study provides enough information to enhance surveillance programs and a future effective interruption of T. cruzi vector transmission in endemic regions. Chagas disease is a complex zoonotic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. This pathology is endemic in the Americas and causes a tremendous burden in terms of public health. The feces of triatomine bugs mainly transmit this parasite. A massive diversity of triatomines can be found in the north of South America, where Rhodnius is considered the most epidemiologically relevant genus. However, government efforts have attempted to control the vector transmission of specific regions. That is the case of Boyaca in eastern Colombia, which has several municipalities certified as free of R. prolixus transmission of the parasite. However, other species such as Triatoma dimidiata can occupy the left niche due to R. prolixus elimination. We explored the infection rate, parasite load, feeding preferences, and T. cruzi diversity in T. dimidiata specimens collected in municipalities with no R. prolixus infestation. Our results highlight the preponderant need for increasing serological surveillance and prevention in those communities due to the risk of a plausible reactivation of T. cruzi vector transmission due to T. dimidiata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Velásquez-Ortiz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Hernández
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Centro de Tecnología en Salud (CETESA), Innovaseq SAS, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo BCEI Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Manuel Medina
- Programa de Control de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores, Secretaría de Salud Departamental, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Mabel Medina-Alfonso
- Grupo de Investigación del Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Boyacá, Secretaria de Salud de Boyacá, Tunja, Colombia
| | - Sandra Suescún-Carrero
- Grupo de Investigación del Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Boyacá, Secretaria de Salud de Boyacá, Tunja, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Laura Vega
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sergio Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lissa Cruz-Saavedra
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nathalia Ballesteros
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York city, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
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Case BKM, Young JG, Penados D, Monroy C, Hébert-Dufresne L, Stevens L. Spatial epidemiology and adaptive targeted sampling to manage the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010436. [PMID: 35653307 PMCID: PMC9162375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread application of insecticide remains the primary form of control for Chagas disease in Central America, despite only temporarily reducing domestic levels of the endemic vector Triatoma dimidiata and having little long-term impact. Recently, an approach emphasizing community feedback and housing improvements has been shown to yield lasting results. However, the additional resources and personnel required by such an intervention likely hinders its widespread adoption. One solution to this problem would be to target only a subset of houses in a community while still eliminating enough infestations to interrupt disease transfer. Here we develop a sequential sampling framework that adapts to information specific to a community as more houses are visited, thereby allowing us to efficiently find homes with domiciliary vectors while minimizing sampling bias. The method fits Bayesian geostatistical models to make spatially informed predictions, while gradually transitioning from prioritizing houses based on prediction uncertainty to targeting houses with a high risk of infestation. A key feature of the method is the use of a single exploration parameter, α, to control the rate of transition between these two design targets. In a simulation study using empirical data from five villages in southeastern Guatemala, we test our method using a range of values for α, and find it can consistently select fewer homes than random sampling, while still bringing the village infestation rate below a given threshold. We further find that when additional socioeconomic information is available, much larger savings are possible, but that meeting the target infestation rate is less consistent, particularly among the less exploratory strategies. Our results suggest new options for implementing long-term T. dimidiata control. Effective public health interventions for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases require an efficient use of resources while still causing long-term disease reduction at the community level. To use resources to best effect, areas most in need of control efforts must be identified. However, strategies for correctly identifying these areas are rarely known due to the complex environmental, biological, and cultural factors shaping disease spread. In turn, incorrect prioritization of control targets can cause the intervention to have no lasting effect. We address this tradeoff between efficiency and efficacy by adapting control priorities throughout an intervention, targeting areas of high uncertainty during the initial stages while shifting to areas of greatest risk at later stages. In the context of controlling Triatoma dimidiata, the primary vector of Chagas disease in several countries in Latin America, our methods provide a means of targeting only a subset of homes for insecticide and housing improvements, while still reducing a village’s overall infestation rate below the critical threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. K. M. Case
- Vermont Complex Systems Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jean-Gabriel Young
- Vermont Complex Systems Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Daniel Penados
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Laurent Hébert-Dufresne
- Vermont Complex Systems Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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Cantillo-Barraza O, Medina M, Zuluaga S, Blanco MI, Caro R, Jaimes-Dueñez J, Beltrán V, Xavier SCC, Triana-Chavez O. Distribution and natural infection status of synantrophic triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, reveals new epidemiological scenarios for chagas disease in the Highlands of Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009574. [PMID: 34280203 PMCID: PMC8321397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Updating the distribution and natural infection status of triatomine bugs is critical for planning, prioritizing, and implementing strategies to control Chagas disease (CD), especially after vector reduction programs. After carrying out a control program, the Department of Boyaca contains the highest number of Colombian municipalities certified by PAHO to be free of intradomiciliary transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi by Rhodnius prolixus. The present work describes the spatial distribution, natural infection (NI), and molecular characterization of T. cruzi in synanthropic triatomines from the Department of Boyaca in 2017 and 2018. MATERIALS AND METHODS An entomological survey was conducted in 52 municipalities in Boyaca known to have had previous infestations of triatomine bugs. Insects were collected through active searches carried out by technical personnel from the Secretary of Health and community members using Triatomine Collection Stations (PITs-acronym in Spanish). For evaluation of natural infection, triatomines were identified morphologically and grouped in pools of one to five individuals of the same species collected in the same household. DNA derived from the feces of each pool of insects was analyzed by PCR for the presence of T. cruzi using primers flanking the satellite DNA of the parasite. SL-IR primers were used to differentiate TCI from the other DTUs and to identify different genotypes. The distribution of the collected triatomines was analyzed to determine any vector hotspots using spatial recreation. RESULTS A total of 670 triatomine bugs was collected, belonging to five species: Triatoma dimidiata (73.2%), Triatoma venosa (16.7%), Panstrongylus geniculatus (5.7%), Rhodnius prolixus (4.4%), and Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus (0.4%), from 29 of the 52 municipalities. In total, 71.6% of the bugs were collected within houses (intradomiciliary) and the rest around the houses (peridomiciliary). Triatoma dimidiata was the most widely distributed species and had the highest natural infection index (37.8%), followed by T. venosa and P. geniculatus. TcI was the only DTU found, with the TcI Dom genotype identified in 80% of positive samples and TcI sylvatic in the other insects. Spatial analysis showed clusters of T. dimidiata and T. venosa in the northeast and southwest regions of Boyaca. CONCLUSIONS After some municipalities were certified free of natural transmission within houses (intradomiciliary transmission) of T. cruzi by R. prolixus, T. dimidiata has become the most prevalent vector present, and represents a significant risk of resurgent CD transmission. However, T. venosa, P. geniculatus, and P. rufotuberculatus also contribute to the increased risk of transmission. The presence of residual R. prolixus may undo the successes achieved through vector elimination programs. The molecular and spatial analysis used here allows us to identify areas with an ongoing threat of parasite transmission and improve entomological surveillance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Medina
- Programa de Control de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores, Secretaría de Salud Departamental, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Sara Zuluaga
- Grupo BCEI Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - María Isabel Blanco
- Laboratorio Departamental de Salud Pública de Boyacá, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo Caro
- Programa de Control de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores, Secretaría de Salud Departamental, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Jeiczon Jaimes-Dueñez
- Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Animales (GRICA), Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia UCC, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Virgilio Beltrán
- Programa de Control de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores, Secretaría de Salud Departamental, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Samanta CC Xavier
- Laboratorio Biología de Tripanosomatídeos (Labtrip), Fundación Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Nolan MS, Murray KO, Mejia R, Hotez PJ, Villar Mondragon MJ, Rodriguez S, Palacios JR, Murcia Contreras WE, Lynn MK, Torres ME, Monroy Escobar MC. Elevated Pediatric Chagas Disease Burden Complicated by Concomitant Intestinal Parasites and Malnutrition in El Salvador. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6020072. [PMID: 34067079 PMCID: PMC8167768 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6020072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The eradication of the vector Rhodnius prolixus from Central America was heralded as a victory for controlling transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. While public health officials believed this milestone achievement would effectively eliminate Chagas disease, case reports of acute vector transmission began amassing within a few years. This investigation employed a cross-sectional serosurvey of children either presenting with fever for clinical care or children living in homes with known triatomine presence in the state of Sonsonate, El Salvador. Over the 2018 calendar year, a 2.3% Chagas disease seroprevalence among children with hotspot clustering in Nahuizalco was identified. Positive serology was significantly associated with dogs in the home, older participant age, and a higher number of children in the home by multivariate regression. Concomitant intestinal parasitic infection was noted in a subset of studied children; 60% having at least one intestinal parasite and 15% having two or more concomitant infections. Concomitant parasitic infection was statistically associated with an overall higher parasitic load detected in stool by qPCR. Lastly, a four-fold higher burden of stunting was identified in the cohort compared to the national average, with four-fifths of mothers reporting severe food insecurity. This study highlights that polyparasitism is common, and a systems-based approach is warranted when treating Chagas disease seropositive children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S. Nolan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (M.K.L.); (M.E.T.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.O.M.); (R.M.); (P.J.H.); (M.J.V.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-803-777-8932
| | - Kristy O. Murray
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.O.M.); (R.M.); (P.J.H.); (M.J.V.M.)
| | - Rojelio Mejia
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.O.M.); (R.M.); (P.J.H.); (M.J.V.M.)
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.O.M.); (R.M.); (P.J.H.); (M.J.V.M.)
| | - Maria Jose Villar Mondragon
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.O.M.); (R.M.); (P.J.H.); (M.J.V.M.)
| | - Stanley Rodriguez
- Center of Health Investigation and Discovery (CENSALUD), University of El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador; (S.R.); (J.R.P.)
| | - Jose Ricardo Palacios
- Center of Health Investigation and Discovery (CENSALUD), University of El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador; (S.R.); (J.R.P.)
| | | | - M. Katie Lynn
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (M.K.L.); (M.E.T.)
| | - Myriam E. Torres
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (M.K.L.); (M.E.T.)
| | - Maria Carlota Monroy Escobar
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, School of Biology, University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala;
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Penados D, Pineda J, Catalan M, Avila M, Stevens L, Agreda E, Monroy C. Infestation dynamics of Triatoma dimidiata in highly deforested tropical dry forest regions of Guatemala. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2020; 115:e200203. [PMID: 33146245 PMCID: PMC7592497 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deforestation, driven by anthropogenic change in land use, influences the behaviour and abundance of vector-borne diseases. For various species of Chagas disease vectors, there is evidence that change in land use affects population density and abundance. Triatoma dimidiata is the most important Chagas vector in Guatemala, and at least one million people live in T. dimidiata endemic areas; however, infestation dynamics vary among regions, from high infestation with all life stages to low seasonal infestation by sylvatic adults. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate how land-use, combined with domiciliary risk factors, influences the infestation dynamics of T. dimidiata for four villages in a dry forest region with a strong deforestation history. METHODS Land use, measured with drone and satellite images, was classified into four categories (houses, monocultures and pastures, woodland and shrubland, and bare soil). Domiciliary risk factors and infestation were assessed through entomological surveys. Statistical analyses compared infestation indices and the ability of land use and domiciliary risk factors to explain infestation. FINDINGS Two villages had significantly higher infestation (26 and 30% vs. 5 and 6%), yet all villages had high colonisation (71-100% of infested houses had immature insects), with no significant difference among them. Because of the high level of deforestation across the study area, land use was not related to infestation; however, domiciliary risk factors were. A model based on four weighted domiciliary risk factors (adobe or bajareque walls, intradomicile animals, intradomicile clutter, and dirt floors) explains the infestation risk. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Because almost all infested houses have reproducing populations in this deforested dry forest region and statistical analysis identified the domiciliary risk factors for infestation, intermediate and long-term control of Chagas disease vectors in this region requires management of these risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Penados
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - José Pineda
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Michelle Catalan
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacia, Escuela de Biología, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Miguel Avila
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Centros de Estudios Conservacionistas, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Lori Stevens
- University of Vermont, Department of Biology, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Emmanuel Agreda
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
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Hanley JP, Rizzo DM, Stevens L, Helms Cahan S, Dorn PL, Morrissey LA, Rodas AG, Orantes LC, Monroy C. Novel Evolutionary Algorithm Identifies Interactions Driving Infestation of Triatoma dimidiata, a Chagas Disease Vector. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:735-744. [PMID: 32524965 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a lethal, neglected tropical disease. Unfortunately, aggressive insecticide-spraying campaigns have not been able to eliminate domestic infestation of Triatoma dimidiata, the native vector in Guatemala. To target interventions toward houses most at risk of infestation, comprehensive socioeconomic and entomologic surveys were conducted in two towns in Jutiapa, Guatemala. Given the exhaustively large search space associated with combinations of risk factors, traditional statistics are limited in their ability to discover risk factor interactions. Two recently developed statistical evolutionary algorithms, specifically designed to accommodate risk factor interactions and heterogeneity, were applied to this large combinatorial search space and used in tandem to identify sets of risk factor combinations associated with infestation. The optimal model includes 10 risk factors in what is known as a third-order disjunctive normal form (i.e., infested households have chicken coops AND deteriorated bedroom walls OR an accumulation of objects AND dirt floors AND total number of occupants ≥ 5 AND years of electricity ≥ 5 OR poor hygienic condition ratings AND adobe walls AND deteriorated walls AND dogs). Houses with dirt floors and deteriorated walls have been reported previously as risk factors and align well with factors currently targeted by Ecohealth interventions to minimize infestation. However, the tandem evolutionary algorithms also identified two new socioeconomic risk factors (i.e., households having many occupants and years of electricity ≥ 5). Identifying key risk factors may help with the development of new Ecohealth interventions and/or reduce the survey time needed to identify houses most at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Hanley
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Donna M Rizzo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Patricia L Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Leslie A Morrissey
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Antonieta Guadalupe Rodas
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Lucia C Orantes
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
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10
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Castro-Arroyave D, Monroy MC, Irurita MI. Integrated vector control of Chagas disease in Guatemala: a case of social innovation in health. Infect Dis Poverty 2020; 9:25. [PMID: 32284071 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-020-00639-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Improved access to health care and quality of services require integrated efforts and innovations, including community empowerment and participation in transformation processes. Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease that is generally controlled by insecticide spraying. To achieve community empowerment in a health program, actions for social innovations may include: community-based research, interdisciplinary and intersectoral participation, community perception of direct benefits and participation in health or environmental improvements. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the processes by which an interdisciplinary team, in collaboration with communities of Comapa, Guatemala, developed an effective solution to address the risk for Chagas disease. Methods A qualitative study involving interviews semi-structured and direct observation was conducted using a case study approach to describe and understand the community-based research and intervention process developed by researchers from the Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology of the Universidad de San Carlos of Guatemala (Laboratorio de Entomologia y Parasitologia Aplicada). Nine interviews were conducted with the investigators, innovators, members of the community in which the intervention had been implemented. NVivo software (version 12) was used for the emergent coding and analysis of the interviews. Results Processes of social transformation were evident within households, and the communities that transcended the mere improvement of walls and floors. New social dynamics that favored the household economy and conditions of hygiene and home care that positively impacted the health of the community. We describe how the integration of criteria of social innovation into a home improvement strategy for Chagas disease control, can generate processes of transformation in health by considering sociocultural conditions, encouraging dialogue between public health approaches and traditional practices. We identify and discuss processes for Social Innovations in Health and identify their potential in improving community health in Latin America. Conclusions When social innovation criteria are included in a health control initiative, the community-based research and the interdisciplinary and intersectoral participation facilitate the implementation of the control strategy, the perceived benefits by the community and its empowerment to sustain and share the strategy. The case study provided understanding of the intersectoral and interdisciplinary dynamics in particular contexts, and documented the relevance of innovation criteria in health processes.
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Keller JI, Lima-Cordón R, Monroy MC, Schmoker AM, Zhang F, Howard A, Ballif BA, Stevens L. Protein mass spectrometry detects multiple bloodmeals for enhanced Chagas disease vector ecology. Infect Genet Evol 2019; 74:103998. [PMID: 31401306 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.103998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease endemic in Latin America, is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is responsible for significant health impacts, especially in rural communities. The parasite is transmitted by insect vectors in the Triatominae subfamily and due to lack of vaccines and limited treatment options, vector control is the main way of controlling the disease. Knowing what vectors are feeding on directly enhances our understanding of the ecology and biology of the different vector species and can potentially aid in engaging communities in active disease control, a concept known as Ecohealth management. We evaluated bloodmeals in rural community, house-caught insect vectors previously evaluated for bloodmeals via DNA analysis as part of a larger collaborative project from three countries in Central America, including Guatemala. In addition to identifying bloodmeals in 100% of all samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) (n = 50), strikingly for 53% of these samples there was no evidence of a recent bloodmeal by DNA-PCR. As individual vectors often feed on multiple sources, we developed an enhanced detection pipeline, and showed the ability to quantify a bloodmeal using stable-isotope-containing synthetic references peptides, a first step in further exploration of species-specific bloodmeal composition. Furthermore, we show that a lower resolution mass spectrometer is sufficient to correctly identify taxa from bloodmeals, an important and strong attribute of our LC-MS/MS-based method, opening the door to using proteomics in countries where Chagas disease is endemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith I Keller
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Raquel Lima-Cordón
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - M Carlota Monroy
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Edificio T-10 Ciudad Universitaria Zona 12, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala; Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Anna M Schmoker
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Alan Howard
- Statistical Software Support and Consulting Services, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Bryan A Ballif
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States.
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States.
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Peterson JK, Hashimoto K, Yoshioka K, Dorn PL, Gottdenker NL, Caranci A, Stevens L, Zuniga C, Saldaña A, Rodriguez S, Monroy C. Chagas Disease in Central America: Recent Findings and Current Challenges in Vector Ecology and Control. Curr Trop Med Rep 2019; 6:76-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s40475-019-00175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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13
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Justi SA, Cahan S, Stevens L, Monroy C, Lima-Cordón R, Dorn PL. Vectors of diversity: Genome wide diversity across the geographic range of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata sensu lato (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 120:144-150. [PMID: 29248626 PMCID: PMC5991476 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
To date, the phylogeny of Triatoma dimidiata sensu lato (s. l.) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), the epidemiologically most important Chagas disease vector in Central America and a secondary vector in Mexico and northern South America, has only been investigated by one multi-copy nuclear gene (Internal Transcribed Spacer - 2) and a few mitochondrial genes. We examined 450 specimens sampled across most of its native range from Mexico to Ecuador using reduced representation next-generation sequencing encompassing over 16,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Using a combined phylogenetic and species delimitation approach we uncovered two distinct species, as well as a well-defined third group that may contain multiple species. The findings are discussed with respect to possible drivers of diversification and the epidemiological importance of the distinct species and groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia A Justi
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States.
| | - Sara Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Biology School, University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Raquel Lima-Cordón
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Patricia L Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States
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