Abstract
In the Gran Chaco region, control of Triatoma infestans has been limited by persistent domestic infestations despite the efforts of the Vector Control Services. In Paraguay, this region is the highest endemic area in the country, showing high levels of indoor and outdoor infestation. Although sylvatic T. infestans have been found in the Bolivian and Argentine Chaco, similar searches for sylvatic populations of this species in Paraguay had been unsuccessful over the last 20 years. Here we present a new approach to detecting sylvatic Triatominae, using a trained dog, which has successfully confirmed sylvatic populations of T. infestans and other triatomine species in Paraguay. A total of 22 specimens corresponding to dark morph forms of T. infestans were collected, and 14 were confirmed as T. infestans by the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene analysis. Through this analysis, one of which were previously reported and a second that was a new haplotype. Triatomines were captured from amongst vegetation such as dry branches and hollows trees of different species such Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco, Bulnesia sarmientoi and Stetsonia coryne. The colonies found have been small and without apparent infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. During the study, Triatoma sordida and Triatoma guasayana have also been found in ecotopes close to those of T. infestans.
Highlights
Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) is the main vector of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in the Southern Cone of Latin America
The finding of dark morph (DM) T. infestans in parrot nests in Argentina [14], and the finding of extensive new foci of sylvatic triatomine populations in Bolivia [15] encouraged the intense search in the Paraguayan Chaco region, but the search for this species using light traps and manual checking of fallen trees and burrows had been unsuccessful
Confirmation of sylvatic colonies of Triatoma infestans has a significant connotation for Paraguay
Summary
Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) is the main vector of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in the Southern Cone of Latin America. Through the Southern Cone Initiative against Chagas disease, vectorial transmission to humans has been interrupted in Chile, Uruguay and Brazil, but Argentina and Paraguay have achieved this only in some regions [1]. The finding of dark morph (DM) T. infestans in parrot nests in Argentina [14], and the finding of extensive new foci of sylvatic triatomine populations in Bolivia [15] encouraged the intense search in the Paraguayan Chaco region, but the search for this species using light traps and manual checking of fallen trees and burrows had been unsuccessful. We report here a novel approach using a trained dog, which has revealed several sylvatic populations of T. infestans in the Paraguayan Chaco
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