Abstract
BackgroundThe heterogeneity of Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates among triatomines insects and animal reservoirs has been studied in independent studies, but little information has been systematised to allow pooled and comparative estimates. Unravelling the main patterns of this heterogeneity could contribute to a further understanding of T. cruzi transmission in Colombia.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, LILACS, Embase, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar and secondary sources with no filters of language or time and until April 2018. Based on selection criteria, all relevant studies reporting T. cruzi infection rates in reservoirs or triatomines were chosen. For pooled analyses, a random effects model for binomial distribution was used. Heterogeneity among studies is reported as I2. Subgroup analyses included: taxonomic classification, ecotope and diagnostic methods. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were performed.ResultsOverall, 39 studies reporting infection rates in Colombia were found (22 for potential reservoirs and 28 for triatomine insects) for a total sample of 22,838 potential animals and 11,307 triatomines evaluated for T. cruzi infection. We have found evidence of 38/71 different animal species as potential T. cruzi reservoirs and 14/18 species as triatomine vectors for T. cruzi. Among animals, the species with the highest pooled prevalence were opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) with 48.0% (95% CI: 26–71%; I2 = 88%, τ2 = 0.07, P < 0.01) and domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) with 22.0% (95% CI: 4–48%; I2 = 96%, τ2 = 0.01, P < 0.01). Among triatomines, the highest prevalence was found for Triatoma maculata in the peridomestic ecotope (68.0%, 95% CI: 62–74%; I2 = 0%, τ2 = 0, P < 0.0001), followed by Rhodnius prolixus (62.0%, 95% CI: 38–84%; I2 = 95%, τ2 = 0.05, P < 0.01) and Rhodnius pallescens (54.0%, 95% CI: 37–71%; I2 = 86%, τ2 = 0.035, P < 0.01) in the sylvatic ecotope.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first systematic and quantitative analyses of triatomine insects and potential animal reservoirs for T. cruzi infection in Colombia. The results highlight a marked heterogeneity between species and provide initial estimates of infection rates heterogeneity.
Highlights
The heterogeneity of Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates among triatomines insects and animal res‐ ervoirs has been studied in independent studies, but little information has been systematised to allow pooled and comparative estimates
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite largely distributed across 21 Latin American countries where it has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality and a high economic burden [1, 2]
Geographical distribution of the samples used in the studies for potential animal reservoirs and triatomine vectors include 9 and 16 departments, respectively, and the special territory of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM)
Summary
The heterogeneity of Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates among triatomines insects and animal res‐ ervoirs has been studied in independent studies, but little information has been systematised to allow pooled and comparative estimates. Trypanosoma cruzi transmission is highly complex as it is the cause of a zoonotic parasitosis present in more than 150 animal reservoirs and 147 triatomine vectors [4, 5]. The role that different animals and triatomine species play in T. cruzi transmission to humans depends on the local conditions that facilitate contact with humans in the different type of cycles: sylvatic, peridomestic and domestic [8]. Sylvatic transmission is much more complex and control measures are less clear [12]; continued population growth and deforestation across sylvatic areas increase the likelihood that humans establish closer contact with both animal reservoirs and triatomine vectors from the sylvatic cycles [8]. There is an increased report of outbreaks arising from oral transmission in both rural areas and major urban populations of Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, suggesting an increased contact between sylvatic and domestic ecotopes [13]
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