Article
Microbiology
Sofia Ocana-Mayorga, Juan Jose Bustillos, Anita G. Villacis, C. Miguel Pinto, Simone Frederique Breniere, Mario J. Grijalva
Summary: Understanding the blood meal patterns of disease vectors is crucial in developing strategies to decrease human-vector contact. In Ecuador, limited data on Chagas disease infection are available, but active transmission has been demonstrated in endemic areas. This study found that humans are the main food source for triatomines, although birds, particularly chickens, might also play a significant role in maintaining these vectors in certain areas.
Article
Parasitology
Catalina Sierra -Rosales, Esteban San Juan, Nicol Quiroga, Raul Araya-Donoso, Aldo Solari, Juana P. Correa, Antonella Bacigalupo, Carezza Botto-Mahan
Summary: The proximity between infectious disease vector populations and human settlements, as well as the infection prevalence of vector populations, can determine the infection risk. In this study, the diet of the Chilean endemic triatomine was characterized, and it was found that infected kissing bugs had human and human-associated animals in their diet. The proportion of human and human-associated vertebrates in the diet of infected bugs was negatively associated with the distance from human settlements.
Article
Entomology
Ruben Garrido, Ricardo Campos-Soto, Nicol Quiroga, Carezza Botto-Mahan
Summary: Laboratory experiments showed that bloodmeal-stealing occurs between wild-caught Mepraia spinolai nymphs, albeit infrequently. This behavior may play a role in the maintenance of wild T. cruzi cycles.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Hanna Waltz, Mary K. Lynn, Stephen A. Klotz, Justin O. Schmidt, Alvaro Romero, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Jose Ricardo Palacios Valladares, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Melissa S. Nolan
Summary: This study identified ectoparasitic mites on triatomines collected from multiple locations in the southwestern United States. The presence of mites did not have a significant impact on the T. cruzi infection status of the triatomines. Further research is needed to understand the biological impact of triatomine mites and their potential role as a biological control tool.
Article
Immunology
Bibiana J. Volta, Patricia L. Bustos, Carolina Gonzalez, Maria Ailen Natale, Alina E. Perrone, Natalia Milduberger, Susana A. Laucella, Jacqueline Bua
Summary: This study evaluated differentially expressed factors in T. cruzi-infected pregnant women and found a proinflammatory cytokine profile associated with Chagas congenital transmission. High parasitemia along with certain cytokine level abnormalities were identified as factors increasing the probability of Chagas congenital transmission.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Natasha S. Hochberg, Susan P. Montgomery
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, is a significant neglected tropical disease in the United States. Around 240,000 to 350,000 individuals in the US are infected, mainly immigrants from endemic regions. The parasite can be transmitted by the triatomine bug, blood transfusion, organ transplant, or congenitally. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications.
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Eduardo E. Avalos-Borges, Lizette E. Rios, Matilde Jimenez-Coello, Antonio Ortega-Pacheco, Nisha J. Garg
Summary: This article reviews the current knowledge of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in humans and compares the placental architecture of humans and different animals. This is important for evaluating the efficacy of new anti-parasite drugs and therapies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marvin Stanley Rodriguez, Yuko Nitahara, Michelle Cornejo, Kevin Siliezar, Rafael Grande, Ana Gonzalez, Kotaro Tasaki, Yu Nakagama, Yu Michimuko, Yoko Onizuka, Junko Nakajima-Shimada, Jose Eduardo Romero, Jose Ricardo Palacios, Carmen Elena Arias, William Mejia, Yasutoshi Kido, Ricardo Cardona Alvarenga
Summary: This study revealed a high prevalence of T. cruzi infection in T. dimidiata in El Salvador, indicating potential active transmission of Chagas disease. Strengthened surveillance for both vector and human infection is required to truly eliminate the risk of T. cruzi transmission in Central America.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Paula Faral-Tello, Gonzalo Greif, Selva Romero, Andres Cabrera, Cristina Oviedo, Telma Gonzalez, Gabriela Libisch, Ana Paula Arevalo, Belen Varela, Jose Manuel Verdes, Martina Crispo, Yester Basmadjian, Carlos Robello
Summary: This study discovered Trypanosoma cruzi strains capable of vertical transmission, which have a higher transmission rate compared to strains of moderate or high virulence. The vertical transmission strains modulate placental gene expression, inducing anti-inflammatory responses and immune damage. This finding provides new insights into the mechanism of vertical transmission for this parasite.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Mary K. Lynn, Melissa S. Nolan
Summary: This historical review explores the potential foci for sylvatic and domestic locally acquired Chagas disease in California, covering the stages of discovery, investigation, and application. It highlights the unique clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of transmission foci, providing valuable insights for clinicians, veterinarians, and public health officials working with vector-borne diseases in the southwestern USA.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Julian Ullrich, Lutz Guertler, Ernst Quenzel, Franz Weinauer, Dieter Roessler, Ulrich Kalus, Axel Pruss, Pedro Albajar-Vinas, Michael Pritsch
Summary: This study aims to investigate the risk of transfusion-associated transmission of Chagas disease in Germany and collect first-hand data on the topic. The results show that no transfusion-associated infection has been reported in Germany, but it is likely to have happened unnoticed or may occur in the near future. The authors suggest conducting risk-adapted serology-based screenings in Germany to prevent transmission events and increase case detection. Larger and ongoing studies are also needed to gather more evidence and address the neglect of Chagas disease in Germany.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Phat K. Huynh, Arveity R. Setty, Quan M. Tran, Om P. Yadav, Nita Yodo, Trung Q. Le
Summary: Introduction Hospital-acquired infections of communicable viral diseases (CVDs) have been posing a tremendous challenge to healthcare workers globally. Healthcare personnel (HCP) is facing a consistent risk of viral infections, and subsequently higher rates of morbidity and mortality. In this study, a domain-knowledge-driven infection risk model was proposed to quantify the individual-level and population-level risks in order to enhance the allocation of personal protective equipment (PPE), safety plans for HCP, and hospital staffing strategies. The model was validated using a case study of Coronavirus disease and data collected from various sources.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Devin M. M. Christopher, Rachel Curtis-Robles, Gabriel L. L. Hamer, Justin Bejcek, Ashley B. B. Saunders, Walter D. D. Roachell, Thomas Leo Cropper, Sarah A. A. Hamer
Summary: This study utilized a trained scent detection dog to successfully detect 60 triatomine insects in their natural environments in Texas, which was more effective than human searching alone. Among them, 27% were positive for Trypanosoma cruzi, and bloodmeal analyses revealed that they had fed on Southern plains woodrat, opossum, and eastern cottontail. This research provides an important strategy for detecting and controlling the early life stages of triatomines in the United States.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Antonio Alvarado, Emily M. Mader, Danielle Buttke, Laura C. Harrington
Summary: This study investigated the impact of knowledge and attitudes of National Park Service (NPS) employees on their triatomine bug prevention behavior in the United States. The results showed low knowledge of Chagas disease (CD) among NPS employees, but increased CD anxiety was associated with decreased risk. Additionally, specific behaviors like regularly repairing window screens were found to reduce exposure risk.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Filipe Martins Santos, Nayara Yoshie Sano, Sany Caroline Liberal, Wesley Arruda Gimenes Nantes, Isabel Passos Miranda Sanabria, Geovanna Silva dos Santos, Artur Luiz Araujo Martinelli, Carina Elisei de Oliveira, Mauricio Almeida-Gomes, Ana Maria Jansen, Heitor Miraglia Herrera
Summary: This study evaluated the influence of vegetation, environmental temperature, reproductive conditions, sex, and body condition on the detection of Trypanosoma spp. in Thrichomys fosteri in the Pantanal region. The results showed that animals with higher body condition had a greater probability of Trypanosoma spp. detection during periods with mild temperatures. Even in periods with low temperatures and decreased vector activities, Trypanosoma spp. could be maintained through predation of T. fosteri individuals with good body condition.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)