Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs and small mammals in Nuevo León, Mexico

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health concern in areas extending from South America northward into the southern United States of America. Although this hemoflagellate has many wild and domestic mammalians reported as reservoir hosts, studies on this...

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Published in:Revista argentina de microbiología 2017-07, Vol.49 (3), p.216-223
Main Authors: Galaviz-Silva, Lucio, Mercado-Hernández, Roberto, Zárate-Ramos, José J., Molina-Garza, Zinnia J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Chagas Disease - veterinary
Cross-Sectional Studies
Disease Reservoirs
Dog Diseases - epidemiology
Dog Diseases - parasitology
Dogs
Mammalian reservoirs
Mammals
Mamíferos reservorios
Mexico - epidemiology
Opossums
Perros
Prevalence
Ratas de campo
South America
Striped skunks
Tlacuache
Trypanosoma cruzi
Trypanosoma cruzi - isolation & purification
Woodrats
Zorrillos
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Summary:Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health concern in areas extending from South America northward into the southern United States of America. Although this hemoflagellate has many wild and domestic mammalians reported as reservoir hosts, studies on this subject are scarce in Nuevo León state, a region located in northeastern Mexico. This cross-sectional study showed that the general prevalence of T. cruzi infection in Nuevo León state was 14.5% (35/241), this percentage matching the ones determined by PCR and traditional diagnostics. Localities and infected mammals did not significantly differ (χ2=6.098, p=0.192); however the number of infected animals was highly correlated with mammalian species (p=0.009). Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were found to be the most infected overall (11/34, 32.3%), while dogs (Canis familiaris) had the lowest prevalence. In conclusion, although the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in small mammals was lower in Nuevo León than in other states of Mexico, our results provide new locality records, including striped skunks, opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) and dogs, and extend the recorded area to woodrats (Neotoma micropus). La enfermedad de Chagas, causada por el protozoario Trypanosoma cruzi, es un problema importante para la salud pública en una vasta región que se extiende en dirección norte desde Sudamérica hasta el sur de los Estados Unidos de América. Aunque este hemoflagelado tiene muchos mamíferos silvestres y domésticos reportados como reservorios, los estudios sobre este tema son escasos en el estado de Nuevo León, localizado en el noreste de México. Se efectuó un relevamiento de la prevalencia de T. cruzi en pequeños mamíferos cubriendo 9 municipios del estado de Nuevo León y 3 tipos de asentamiento (rural, suburbano y urbano). Se observó una prevalencia general de la infección del 14,5% (35/241) usando PCR y diagnóstico tradicional para detectarla. No se determinó una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre las localidades relevadas y las especies de mamíferos infectados (χ2=6,098, p=0,192); sin embargo, el número de animales infectados se correlacionó con la especie de mamífero (p=0,009). La mayor prevalencia de T. cruzi se detectó en los zorrillos (Mephitis mephitis) (11/34; 32,3%); la menor (13/136; 9,5%), en los perros (Canis familiaris). La prevalencia de la infección por T. cruzi en pequeños mamíferos fue más baja en Nuevo León que en otros estados de M
ISSN:0325-7541
DOI:10.1016/j.ram.2016.11.006