Abstract
Chagas disease remains a major neglected disease in Colombia. We aimed to characterize Trypanosoma cruzi transmission networks in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) region, to shed light on disease ecology and help optimize control strategies. Triatomines were collected in rural communities and analyzed for blood feeding sources, parasite diversity and gut microbiota composition through a metagenomic and deep sequencing approach. Triatoma dimidiata predominated, followed by Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma maculata, Rhodnius pallescens, Panstrongylus geniculatus and Eratyrus cuspidatus. Twenty-two species were identified as blood sources, resulting in an integrated transmission network with extensive connectivity among sylvatic and domestic host species. Only TcI parasites were detected, predominantly from TcIb but TcIa was also reported. The close relatedness of T. cruzi strains further supported the lack of separate transmission cycles according to habitats or triatomine species. Triatomine microbiota varied according to species, developmental stage and T. cruzi infection. Bacterial families correlated with the presence/absence of T. cruzi were identified. In conclusion, we identified a domestic transmission cycle encompassing multiple vector species and tightly connected with sylvatic hosts in the SNSM region, rather than an isolated domestic transmission cycle. Therefore, integrated interventions targeting all vector species and their contact with humans should be considered.
Highlights
Chagas disease remains a major neglected disease in many American countries, including Colombia, despite intensive efforts at vector control to reduce transmission to humans
As noted before in other triatomine species, most bugs had fed on multiple host species, ranging from 2 to 11 species, and the number of feeding host was comparable among triatomine species (Fig. 2C)
Due to the complexity of T. cruzi transmission in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) region in northeastern Colombia, we aimed to characterize parasite transmission networks based on the identification of vertebrate feeding host, parasite and microbial diversity in triatomine vectors
Summary
Chagas disease remains a major neglected disease in many American countries, including Colombia, despite intensive efforts at vector control to reduce transmission to humans. Panstrongylus geniculatus, Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus, and Eratyrus cuspidatus and an extensive diversity of potential mammalian hosts[5,6,9,10,11] These vector species show diverse levels of adaptation to the domestic environment, with R. prolixus and T. dimidiata able to colonize houses, and possibly R. pallescens, while T. maculata is mostly found in peridomiciles, often associated with bird nests, and E. cuspidatus is mostly intrusive and more rarely observed[6,12,13]. A better understanding of these potential overlaps and the contribution of different triatomine species to human transmission is critical to optimize vector control strategies and ensure their e fficacy[30] While some of these aspects have been investigated in an isolated manner in previous studies as detailed above, their integration to understand transmission cycles and Chagas disease ecology has been limited. We aimed to characterize T. cruzi transmission networks based on the identification of vertebrate feeding host diversity as well as parasite and microbial diversity in triatomines from the SNSM region in northwestern Colombia, to shed light on Chagas disease ecology in the region and help optimize current control strategies
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