Dataset Information

A Pilot Radio Telemetry Field Study of Triatomine Vectors (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of the Chagas Disease Parasite.

ABSTRACT: We conducted the first pilot radio telemetry study of hematophagous arthropods by placing transmitters on wild-caught triatomine insects ('kissing bugs'), vectors of the Chagas disease parasite. In Texas-a recognized hotspot for triatomine diversity and locally-acquired human and animal Chagas disease-we tagged five female and four male Triatoma gerstaeckeri (Stål) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), as well as one female and one male Triatoma sanguisuga (Leconte) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in three counties from 2015 to 2017. In comparative trials, placement of the transmitter on the dorsal side of the abdomen underneath the hemelytra wings, with the transmitter antenna shortened to 3 cm, yielded the best results. We tracked the movements of the 11 tagged bugs over an average of 4.8 d (range of 1 to 12 d) and detected 18 movement events with an average distance of 3.8 m (range of 1 to 20 m). This pilot study demonstrates the potential utility for using telemetry as a tool for studying fine-scale non-flight movement of triatomines and the discovery of cryptic resting habitats. Future studies using this or similar technologies to study movement and behavior of triatomines could test for site-fidelity of resting habitats and provide novel insight into aspects of vector biology that could be targeted in disease risk reduction efforts.

SUBMITTER: Hamer GL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6201830 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Pilot Radio Telemetry Field Study of Triatomine Vectors (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of the Chagas Disease Parasite.

Hamer Gabriel L GL Bejcek Justin R JR Valdez Edwin A EA Curtis-Robles Rachel R Hamer Sarah A SA

Journal of medical entomology 20181001 6

We conducted the first pilot radio telemetry study of hematophagous arthropods by placing transmitters on wild-caught triatomine insects ('kissing bugs'), vectors of the Chagas disease parasite. In Texas-a recognized hotspot for triatomine diversity and locally-acquired human and animal Chagas disease-we tagged five female and four male Triatoma gerstaeckeri (Stål) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), as well as one female and one male Triatoma sanguisuga (Leconte) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in three counties ...[more]

PMID: 29986045

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Project description:Correct identification of triatomine bugs is crucial for Chagas disease surveillance, yet available taxonomic keys are outdated, incomplete, or both. Here we present TriatoDex, an Android app-based pictorial, annotated, polytomous key to the Triatominae. TriatoDex was developed using Android Studio and tested by 27 Brazilian users. Each user received a box with pinned, number-labeled, adult triatomines (33 species in total) and was asked to identify each bug to the species level. We used generalized linear mixed models (with user- and species-ID random effects) and information-theoretic model evaluation/averaging to investigate TriatoDex performance. TriatoDex encompasses 79 questions and 554 images of the 150 triatomine-bug species described worldwide up to 2017. TriatoDex-based identification was correct in 78.9% of 824 tasks. TriatoDex performed better in the hands of trained taxonomists (93.3% vs. 72.7% correct identifications; model-averaged, adjusted odds ratio 5.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.09-11.48). In contrast, user age, gender, primary job (including academic research/teaching or disease surveillance), workplace (including universities, a reference laboratory for triatomine-bug taxonomy, or disease-surveillance units), and basic training (from high school to biology) all had negligible effects on TriatoDex performance. Our analyses also suggest that, as TriatoDex results accrue to cover more taxa, they may help pinpoint triatomine-bug species that are consistently harder (than average) to identify. In a pilot comparison with a standard, printed key (370 tasks by seven users), TriatoDex performed similarly (84.5% correct assignments, CI 68.9-94.0%), but identification was 32.8% (CI 24.7-40.1%) faster on average-for a mean absolute saving of ~2.3 minutes per bug-identification task. TriatoDex holds much promise as a handy, flexible, and reliable tool for triatomine-bug identification; an updated iOS/Android version is under development. We expect that, with continuous refinement derived from evolving knowledge and user feedback, TriatoDex will substantially help strengthen both entomological surveillance and research on Chagas disease vectors.

Project description:BackgroundChagas disease is a neglected tropical disease and Trypanosoma cruzi (its etiological agent) is mainly transmitted by triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). All triatomine species are considered as potential vectors; thus, their geographic distribution and habitat information should be a fundamental guide for the surveillance and control of Chagas disease. Currently, of the 137 species distributed in the Americas (Justi and Galvão 2017), 17 species are cited for Argentina: Panstrongylus geniculatus, P. guentheri, P. megistus, P. rufotuberculatus, Psammolestes coreodes, Triatoma breyeri, T. delpontei, T. eratyrusiformis, T. garciabesi, T. guasayana, T. infestans, T. limai, T. patagonica, T. platensis, T. rubrofasciata, T. rubrovaria and T. sordida. Almost 20 years have passed since the publication of the "Atlas of the Triatominae" by Carcavallo et al. (1998) and no work has been done to provide an updated complete integration and analysis of the existing information for Argentinean triatomine species. Here we provide a detailed temporal, spatial and ecological analysis of updated occurrence data for triatomines present in Argentina.New informationThis is the first database of the 17 triatomine species present in Argentina (15917 records), with a critical analysis of the temporal, spatial and ecological characteristics of 9788 records. The information spans the last 100 years (1918-2019) and it was mostly obtained from the DataTri database and from the Argentinean Vector Reference Center. As 70% of the occurrences corresponded to the last 20 years, the information was split into two broad periods (pre-2000 and post-2000). Occurrence data for most species show distribution range contractions, which, from the pre-2000 to post-2000 period, became restricted mainly to the dry and humid Chaco ecoregions. Concurrently, the highest species richness foci occurred within those ecoregions. The species T. infestans, T. sordida, T. garciabesi and T. guasayana mostly colonise human dwelling habitats. This study provides the most comprehensive picture available for Argentinean triatomine species and we hope that any knowledge gaps will encourage others to keep this information updated to assist health policy-makers to make decisions based on the best evidence.

Dataset Information

A Pilot Radio Telemetry Field Study of Triatomine Vectors (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of the Chagas Disease Parasite.

Publications

A Pilot Radio Telemetry Field Study of Triatomine Vectors (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of the Chagas Disease Parasite.

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