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Gunter SM, Nelson A, Kneubehl AR, Justi SA, Manzanero R, Zielinski-Gutierrez E, Herrera C, Thompson J, Mandage R, Desale H, Maliga A, Bautista K, Ronca SE, Morey F, Fuentes RC, Lopez B, Dumonteil E, Morazan GH, Murray KO. Novel species of Triatoma (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) identified in a case of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease in northern Belize. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1412. [PMID: 38228608 PMCID: PMC10792162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a leading cause of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy in endemic regions of Central and South America. In Belize, Triatoma dimidiata sensu lato has been identified as the predominate taxon but vectorial transmission of Chagas disease is considered to be rare in the country. We recently identified an acute case of vector-borne Chagas disease in the northern region of Belize. Here we present a subsequent investigation of triatomines collected around the case-patient's home. We identified yet undescribed species, closely related to Triatoma huehuetenanguensis vector by molecular systematics methods occurring in the peridomestic environment. The identification of a T. cruzi-positive, novel species of Triatoma in Belize indicates an increased risk of transmission to humans in the region and warrants expanded surveillance and further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Gunter
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Alisa Nelson
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alexander R Kneubehl
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Silvia A Justi
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Julie Thompson
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Science, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Rajendra Mandage
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Hans Desale
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Adrianna Maliga
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kim Bautista
- Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness, Belmopan, Belize
| | - Shannon E Ronca
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Francis Morey
- Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness, Belmopan, Belize
| | - Rafael Chacon Fuentes
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Central America Region, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Beatriz Lopez
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Central America Region, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Kristy O Murray
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Lozano N, Samblas MG, Calabuig E, Giménez Martí MJ, Gómez Ruiz MD, Arce JMS, Sequera-Arquelladas S, Moreno JMM, Trelis M, Osuna A. Use of sera cell free DNA (cfDNA) and exovesicle-DNA for the molecular diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282814. [PMID: 37682970 PMCID: PMC10490946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, is now considered a worldwide health concern as a result of migratory movements from Central and South America to other regions that were considered free of the disease, and where the epidemiological risk is limited to transplacental transmission or blood or organ donations from infected persons. Parasite detection in chronically ill patients is restricted to serological tests that only determine infection by previous infection and not the presence of the parasite, especially in patients undergoing treatment evaluation or in newborns. We have evaluated the use of nucleic acids from both circulating exovesicles and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from 50 samples twice randomly selected from a total of 448 serum samples from immunologically diagnosed patients in whom the presence of the parasite was confirmed by nested PCR on amplicons resulting from amplification with kinetoplastid DNA-specific primers 121F-122R. Six samples were randomly selected to quantify the limit of detection by qPCR in serum exovesicles. When the nucleic acids thus purified were assayed as a template and amplified with kinetoplastid DNA and nuclear satellite DNA primers, a 100% positivity rate was obtained for all positive samples assayed with kDNA-specific primers and 96% when SAT primers were used. However, isolation of cfDNA for Trypanosoma cruzi and amplification with SAT also showed 100% positivity. The results demonstrate that serum exovesicles contain DNA of mitochondrial and nuclear origin, which can be considered a mixed population of exovesicles of parasitic origin. The results obtained with serum samples prove that both cfDNA and Exovesicle DNA can be used to confirm parasitaemia in chronically ill patients or in samples where it is necessary to demonstrate the active presence of the parasite. The results confirm for the first time the existence of exovesicles of mitochondrial origin of the parasite in the serum of those affected by Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lozano
- Area of Parasitology, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mercedes Gomez Samblas
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Campus de Fuentenueva, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Eva Calabuig
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Giménez Martí
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Gómez Ruiz
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Miguel Sahuquillo Arce
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - José Miguel Molina Moreno
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe-IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - M. Trelis
- Area of Parasitology, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, University of Valencia-Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Campus de Fuentenueva, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
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Dumonteil E, Desale H, Tu W, Hernandez-Cuevas N, Shroyer M, Goff K, Marx PA, Herrera C. Intra-host Trypanosoma cruzi strain dynamics shape disease progression: the missing link in Chagas disease pathogenesis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0423622. [PMID: 37668388 PMCID: PMC10581044 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04236-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy develops years after infection in 20-40% of patients, but disease progression is poorly understood. Here, we assessed Trypanosoma cruzi parasite dynamics and pathogenesis over a 2.5-year period in naturally infected rhesus macaques. Individuals with better control of parasitemia were infected with a greater diversity of parasite strains compared to those with increasing parasitemia over time. Also, the in vivo parasite multiplication rate decreased with increasing parasite diversity, suggesting competition among strains or a stronger immune response in multiple infections. Significant differences in electrocardiographic (ECG) profiles were observed in Chagasic macaques compared to uninfected controls, suggesting early conduction defects, and changes in ECG patterns over time were observed only in macaques with increasing parasitemia and lower parasite diversity. Disease progression was also associated with plasma fibronectin degradation, which may serve as a biomarker. These data provide a novel framework for the understanding of Chagas disease pathogenesis, with parasite diversity shaping disease progression.IMPORTANCEChagas disease progression remains poorly understood, and patients at increased risk of developing severe cardiac disease cannot be distinguished from those who may remain asymptomatic. Monitoring of Trypanosoma cruzi strain dynamics and pathogenesis over 2-3 years in naturally infected macaques shows that increasing parasite diversity in hosts is detrimental to parasite multiplication and Chagasic cardiomyopathy disease progression. This provides a novel framework for the understanding of Chagas disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Hans Desale
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Nora Hernandez-Cuevas
- Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Monica Shroyer
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Kelly Goff
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Preston A. Marx
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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