What makes an effective Chagas disease vector? Factors underlying Trypanosoma cruzi-triatomine interactions

The Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which infect blood-feeding triatomine bugs to finally reach mammal hosts. Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America, and is ranked among the 13 neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Currently, an estimate of 7 million people is infect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta tropica 2018-07, Vol.183, p.23-31
Main Authors: de Fuentes-Vicente, José A., Gutiérrez-Cabrera, Ana E., Flores-Villegas, A. Laura, Lowenberger, Carl, Benelli, Giovanni, Salazar-Schettino, Paz M., Córdoba-Aguilar, Alex
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological Evolution
Chagas disease
Chagas Disease - transmission
Disease Transmission, Infectious
Evolution
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Genome, Insect
Host-parasite interaction
Humans
Insect Vectors - drug effects
Insect Vectors - genetics
Insect Vectors - microbiology
Insect Vectors - parasitology
Insecticides - pharmacology
Meccus pallidipennis
Rhodnius prolixus
Triatoma - drug effects
Triatoma - parasitology
Triatoma barberi
Triatoma dimidiata
Triatoma infestans
Triatominae
Trypanosoma cruzi
Trypanosoma cruzi - drug effects
Trypanosoma cruzi - genetics
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Summary:The Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which infect blood-feeding triatomine bugs to finally reach mammal hosts. Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America, and is ranked among the 13 neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Currently, an estimate of 7 million people is infected by T. cruzi, leading to about 22 000 deaths per year throughout the Americas. As occurs with other vectors, a major question towards control programs is what makes a susceptible bug. In this review, we focus on findings linked to insect gut structure and microbiota, immunity, genetics, blood sources, abiotic factors (with special reference to ambient temperature and altitude) to understand the interactions occurring between T. cruzi and triatomine bugs, under a co-evolutionary scenario. These factors lead to varying fitness benefits and costs for bugs, explaining why infection in the insect takes place and how it varies in time and space. Our analysis highlights that major factors are gut components and microbiota, blood sources and temperature. Although their close interaction has never been clarified, knowledge reviewed here may help to boost the success of triatomine control programs, reducing the use of insecticides.
ISSN:0001-706X
1873-6254
DOI:10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.04.008