Alteration of the aggregation and spatial organization of the vector of Chagas disease, Triatoma infestans, by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.

ABSTRACT: Triatominae insects are vectors of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease affecting millions of people in Latin America. Some species, such as Triatoma infestans, live in the human neighborhood, aggregating in walls or roof cracks during the day and going out to feed blood at night. The comprehension of how sex and T. cruzi infection affect their aggregation and geotaxis is essential for understanding their spatial organization and the parasite dispersion. Experiments in laboratory-controlled conditions were carried out with groups of ten adults of T. infestans able to explore and aggregate on a vertical surface. The influence of the sex (male vs. female) and the proportion of infected insects in the group were tested (100% of infected insects vs. a small p

SUBMITTER: Depickere S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6874570 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature