Domestic peridomestic and wild hosts in the transmission ofTrypanosoma cruzi in the Caatinga area colonisedby Triatoma brasiliensis

摘要

The role played by different mammal species in the maintenance of Trypanosoma cruzi is not constant and varies in time and place. This study aimed to characterise the importance of domestic, wild and peridomestic hosts in the transmission of T. cruzi in Tauá, state of Ceará, Caatinga area, Brazil, with an emphasis on those environments colonised by Triatoma brasiliensis. Direct parasitological examinations were performed on insects and mammals, serologic tests were performed on household and outdoor mammals and multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used on wild mammals. Cytochrome b was used as a food source for wild insects. The serum prevalence in dogs was 38% (20/53), while in pigs it was 6% (2/34). The percentages of the most abundantly infected wild animals were as follows: Thrichomys laurentius 74% (83/112) and Kerodon rupestris 10% (11/112). Of the 749 triatomines collected in the household research, 49.3% (369/749) were positive for T. brasiliensis, while 6.8% were infected with T. cruzi (25/369). In captured animals, T. brasiliensis shares a natural environment with T. laurentius, K. rupestris, Didelphis albiventris, Monodelphisdomestica, Galea spixii, Wiedomyspyrrhorhinos, Conepatus semistriatus and Musmusculus. In animals identified via their foodsource, T. brasiliensis shares a natural environment withG. spixii, K. rupestris, Capra hircus, Gallusgallus, Tropidurus oreadicus and Tupinambis merianae.The high prevalence of T. cruzi in household and peridomiciliaranimals reinforces the narrow relationship between the enzootic cycle and humans inenvironments with T. brasiliensis and characterises it asubiquitous.