Genotype diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi in small rodents and Triatoma sanguisuga from a rural area in New Orleans, Louisiana.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chagas disease is an anthropozoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that represents a major public health problem in Latin America. Although the United States is defined as non-endemic for Chagas disease due to the rarity of human cases, the presence of T. cruzi has now been amply demonstrated as enzootic in different regions of the south of the country from Georgia to California. In southeastern Louisiana, a high T. cruzi infection rate has been demonstrated in Triatoma sanguisuga, the local vector in this area. However, little is known about the role of small mammals in the wild and peridomestic transmission cycles.

Methods

This study focused on the molecular identification and genotyping of T. cruzi in both small rodents and T. sanguisuga f

SUBMITTER: Herrera CP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4344744 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature