Sylvatic focus of American Trypanosomiasis in the State of Morelos, Mexico

Wild vectors and reservoir hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi were surveyed from February 1993 to June 1994 in Ticumán (18 degrees 46'N, 99 degrees 07'W), Mexico (Deciduous Tropical Forest). Direct faeces examination showed that 87% of Triatoma pallidipennis hosted the parasite; T. cruzi forms were present in cultures inoculated with faeces of fifty 67% triatomine bugs and thirty CD-1 strain mice (10 d old) inoculated (peritoneum) with faeces of positive insects T. cruzi amastigotes were found in heart 67%, kidneys 47%, liver 80%, lungs 50%, oesophagus 60%, skin 23%, spleen 73% and stomach 60%. T. cruzi was isolated by direct blood examination from seven 21% chiropterans and five 38% rodents and T. cruzi forms were present in cultures inoculated with blood of twenty-three 68% chiropterans and seven 54% rodents and T. cruzi amastigotes were seen in the kidneys of one 3% chiropterans and four 31% rodents and only in one Pteronotus parnellii mexicanus, organisms were seen in skin 2%. There was no association between organs and T. cruzi infection (p > 0.05).