“Andean” and “non-Andean” ITS-2 and mtCytB haplotypes of Triatoma infestans are observed in the Gran Chaco (Bolivia): Population genetics and the origin of reinfestation

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2011-07, Vol.11 (5), p.1006-1014
• Main Authors: Quisberth, Sergio, Waleckx, Etienne, Monje, Marcelo, Chang, Boris, Noireau, François, Brenière, Simone Frédérique
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal biology; Animals; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Bolivia; cytochrome b; Cytochromes b - genetics; Demography; DNA - genetics; DNA, Intergenic - genetics; Ecology, environment; Ecosystems; Environmental Sciences; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; General aspects; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Gran Chaco; haplotypes; Haplotypes - genetics; humans; Infectious diseases; insecticides; internal transcribed spacers; introduced species; Invertebrate Zoology; Life Sciences; Medical sciences; Mitochondria; Molecular biology; Phylogeny; Population; population genetics; Populations and Evolution; Reinfestation; sequence analysis; spraying; Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy; Triatoma - genetics; Triatoma infestans; vector control; villages
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.03.014

In Bolivia, the Gran Chaco ecoregion suffers from serious problems of house reinfestation with Triatoma infestans despite vector control by insecticides spraying. In order to identify the origin of the triatomines collected after spraying, the genetic structure of T. infestans populations collected in four neighboring villages, before and after spraying, was analyzed using ITS-2 and mtCytB sequencing. Before spraying, only the mtCytB marker detected genetic differentiation among the 4 populations. After spraying, the mtCytB analysis of the populations from two of the studied villages supported the hypothesis in favor of a local origin for the triatomines in each village. Surprisingly, ITS-2 and mtCytB haplotypes previously found only in Andean areas were also present with high frequencies in the studied populations; these domestic populations of the Gran Chaco seem to be the result of a mixture of “Andean” and “non-Andean” triatomines probably generated by the human passive transport of triatomines from the Andes to the Gran Chaco.