The parasite load of Trypanosoma cruzi modulates feeding and defecation patterns of the chagas disease vector triatoma infestans
2022
Chacón Olivos, Francisco Javier | Bacigalupo Bacigalupo, Antonella Eugenia | Álvarez Duhart, Bárbara Raquel | Cattan Ayala, Pedro Eduardo | Solís Muñoz, Rigoberto Antonio | Muñoz San Martín, Catalina
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of Chagas disease, a parasitic zoonosis transmitted mainly through the feces of triatomine insects. Triatoma infestans is the main triatomine vector of this disease in South America. Previous research has shown that T. cruzi infection modifies the behavior of triatomines. We evaluated, for the first time, the effect of parasite load on feeding and defecation behavior, which we quantified by using real-time PCR. The detection time of the host was shorter in infected individuals, and the number of bites increased, while the dejection time was reduced when compared with the non-infected group. A significant correlation between the parasite load and the behavioral changes registered in the infected triatomines was found. These results would indicate that the intensity of T. cruzi infection modulates the feeding and defecation behavior of T. infestans, increasing the vector competence of this triatomine vector.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (ANID), FONDECYT 1180940 Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) CONICYT FONDECYT 3170799 Doctorado Becas Chile 2019 72200391 Programa Becas-Beca Doctorado Nacional ANID 2017 21171903
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