Geographic Distribution and Ecology of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Colombia

Triatoma dimidiata Latreille is the second most important vector of Chagas' disease in Colombia and is found in urban and periurban areas. From January 2007 to June 2008, we performed field work in 8 departments, 18 municipalities, and 44 rural villages, covering most of its known distribution...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2016-01, Vol.53 (1), p.122-129
Main Authors: Parra-Henao, Gabriel, Angulo, Víctor Manuel, Osorio, Lisardo, Jaramillo-O, Nicolás
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Colombia
Disease transmission
Ecology
Ecosystem
Geographical distribution
Geography
Habitats
Health risks
infestation
Mountains
SAMPLING, DISTRIBUTION, DISPERSAL
Triatoma
triatominae
Tropical forests
Vector-borne diseases
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Summary:Triatoma dimidiata Latreille is the second most important vector of Chagas' disease in Colombia and is found in urban and periurban areas. From January 2007 to June 2008, we performed field work in 8 departments, 18 municipalities, and 44 rural villages, covering most of its known distribution and all of its ecological zones in the country. The goal was to determine the geographical distribution, the ecology, and house infestation indices of T. dimidiata over its range and hence the Chagas' disease transmission risk. In Colombia, T. dimidiata occupies a wide variety of ecosystems, from transformed ecosystems in the Andean biome with shrub and xerofitic vegetation to very dense forests in the humid tropical forests in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. According to genetic and ecological criteria, at least two T. dimidiata forms of this species are present: populations from the northwest of the country (Caribbean plains) are restricted to palm tree habitats, and domestic involvement is limited to sporadic visits because of attraction by light; and populations of the east region (Andean mountains) presenting a complex distributional pattern including sylvatic, peridomestic, and domiciliated ecotopes, and occupying a great variety of life zones. The latter population is of epidemiological importance due to the demonstrated migration and genetical flow of individuals among the different habitats. Control, therefore, must take into account its diversity of habitats.
ISSN:0022-2585
1938-2928
DOI:10.1093/jme/tjv163