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Agent of Chagas' disease from Honduran vector capable of developing in California insects: implications for
Insights
Exotic Trypanosoma cruzi strains can survive in California vectors, posing potential public health risks. This highlights the need for vigilance regarding Chagas
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
- Vector-Borne Diseases
Background:
- Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease, a potentially life-threatening illness.
- The parasite is endemic in Central and South America, transmitted primarily by triatomine bugs.
- Introduction of exotic strains into new regions raises concerns about disease spread and public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the survival and infectivity of an exotic Trypanosoma cruzi strain in a local California vector.
- To assess the public health implications of introducing exotic T. cruzi strains into non-endemic areas.
Main Methods:
- An exotic T. cruzi strain from Honduras was isolated and characterized using isoenzyme analysis.
- The strain was inoculated into Swiss mice.
- California-acquired Triatoma protracta bugs fed on infected mice and were monitored for 15 months for parasite presence.
Main Results:
- The exotic T. cruzi strain was closely related to known zymodemes.
- Infected T. protracta bugs in California shed multiplying epimastigote and infective trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi for up to 15 months.
- This demonstrates the capacity of exotic T. cruzi strains to establish and persist in local vectors.
Conclusions:
- Exotic Trypanosoma cruzi strains can successfully develop and survive long-term in native California triatomine bug populations.
- The increasing migration from Central America may introduce pathogenic T. cruzi strains, posing a potential public health threat in the US.
- Clinicians, especially cardiologists, should consider Chagas' disease in patients with cardiomyopathy from endemic regions.
Abstract:
An exotic strain of Trypanosoma cruzi recovered from Triatoma dimidiata from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, was shown by isoenzyme studies to be closely related to the Miles' zymodeme 1 and laboratory reference strain Tehuantepec. It was injected into Swiss random-bred ICR mice. Clean Triatoma protracta nymphs and adults, which had been captured in Winters, California, fed on inoculated mice and were then examined over a 15-month period. Their feces contained multiplying epimastigote and infective trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi. This shows that exotic strains of T. cruzi can develop and survive for long periods in local California vectors. The increasing number of immigrants from Central America who enter California and other states may have public health implications in regard to the introduction of pathogenic strains that are capable of producing cardiomyopathy. Cardiologists who examine patients with cardiomyopathy from Central and South America should rule out Chagas' disease as a cause, since pathogenic T. cruzi strains are present in most Central and South American countries.