Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:47:54.912Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Risk factors for domestic infestation by the Chagas disease vector, Triatoma dimidiata in Chiquimula, Guatemala

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2013

E. N. I. Weeks*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K
C. Cordón-Rosales
Affiliation:
Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala
C. Davies
Affiliation:
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K
S. Gezan
Affiliation:
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A.
M. Yeo
Affiliation:
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K
M. M. Cameron
Affiliation:
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K
*
*Author for correspondence Phone: +1 352 273 3954 Fax: +1 352 392 5660 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

In Guatemala prior to control initiatives, the main vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, were Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata. This study conducted in 2006 in the department of Chiquimula recorded a high level of T. dimidiata infestation and an absence of R. prolixus in all surveyed communities. In Guatemala, the presence of T. dimidiata as domestic, peridomestic and sylvatic populations results in control difficulties as houses are re-infested from the surrounding environment. Entomological surveys, the current method used to select houses in need of control efforts, are labour intensive and time consuming. A time- and cost-effective way to prioritize houses for evaluation and subsequent treatment is the stratification of houses based on the risk of triatomine infestation. In the present study, 17 anthropogenic risk factors were evaluated for associations with house infestation of T. dimidiata including: wall, floor and roof type. There was an increased likelihood of domestic infestation with T. dimidiata associated with the presence of dirt floors (18/29; OR 8.075, 95% CI 2.13–30.6), uncoated bajareque walls (12/17; OR 4.80, 95% CI 1.35–17.1) and triatomine-like faeces on walls (16/26; OR 3.89, 95% CI 1.19–12.7). These factors could be used to target control of T. dimidiata to communities with an increased risk of being infested.

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bustamante, D.M., Monroy, C., Pineda, S., Rodas, A., Castro, X., Ayala, V., Quinones, J., Moguel, B. & Trampe, R. (2009) Risk factors for intradomiciliary infestation by the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata in Jutiapa, Guatemala. Cadernos de Saude Publica 25, S83S92.Google Scholar
Campbell-Lendrum, D.H., Angulo, V.M., Esteban, L., Tarazona, Z., Parra, G.J., Restrepo, M., Restrepo, B.N., Guhl, F., Pinto, N., Aguilera, G., Wilkinson, P. & Davies, C.R. (2007) House-level risk factors for triatomine infestation in Colombia. International Journal of Epidemiology 36, 866872.Google Scholar
Cordon-Rosales, C. & Pennington, P.M. (2007) Eco-epidemiologia de la transmision vectorial de la enfermedad de Chagas en Guatemala. Revista de la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala 16, 6384.Google Scholar
Dias, J.C.P. & Schofield, C.J. (1999) The evolution of Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis) control after 90 years since Carlos Chagas discovery. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 94, 103121.Google Scholar
Enger, K.S., Ordonez, R., Wilson, M.L. & Ramsey, J.M. (2004) Evaluation of risk factors for rural infestation by Triatoma pallidipennis (Hemiptera:Triatominae), a Mexican vector of Chagas disease. Journal of Medical Entomology 41, 760767.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gomez Nunez, J.C. (1965) Desarrollo de un nuevo metodo para evaluar la infestacion intradomiciliaria por Rhodnius prolixus. Acta Cientifica Venezolana 16, 2631.Google Scholar
Guhl, F., Pinto, N. & Aguilera, G. (2009) Sylvatic triatominae: a new challenge in vector control transmission. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 104, 7175.Google Scholar
Hashimoto, K., Cordon-Rosales, C., Trampe, R. & Kawabata, M. (2006) Impact of single and multiple residual sprayings of pyrethroid insecticides against Triatoma dimidiata (Reduviiade; Triatominae), the principal vector of Chagas disease in Jutiapa, Guatemala. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 75, 226230.Google Scholar
King, R.J., Cordon-Rosales, C., Cox, J., Davies, C.R. & Kitron, U.D. (2011) Triatoma dimidiata infestation in Chagas disease endemic regions of Guatemala: comparison of random and targeted cross sectional surveys. PLOS Neglected Tropical Disease 5, 19.Google Scholar
Lent, H. & Wygodzinsky, P. (1979) Revision of the Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), and their significance as vectors of Chagas disease. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 163, 125520.Google Scholar
Levy, M.Z., Bowman, N.M., Kawai, V., Waller, L.A., del Carpio, J.G.C., Benzaquen, E.C., Gilman, R.H. & Bern, C. (2006) Periurban Trypanosoma cruzi-infected Triatoma infestans, Arequipa, Peru. Emerging Infectious Diseases 12, 13451352.Google Scholar
Monroy, C., Mejia, M., Rodas, A., Rosales, R., Horio, M. & Tabaru, Y. (1998 a) Comparison of indoor searches with whole house demolition collection of the vectors of Chagas disease and their indoor distribution. Medical Entomology and Zoology 49, 195200.Google Scholar
Monroy, C., Rodas, A., Mejia, M. & Tabaru, Y. (1998 b) Wall plastering and paints as methods to control vectors of Chagas disease in Guatemala. Medical Entomology and Zoology 49, 187193.Google Scholar
Monroy, C., Rodas, A., Mejia, M., Rosales, R. & Tabaru, Y. (2003) Epidemiology of Chagas disease in Guatemala: infection rate of Triatoma dimidiata, Triatoma nitida and Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) with Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae). Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 98, 305310.Google Scholar
Monroy, C., Bustamante, D.M., Pineda, S., Rodas, A., Castro, X., Ayala, V., Quinones, J. & Moguel, B. (2009) House improvements and community participation in the control of Triatoma dimidiata re-infestation in Jutiapa, Guatemala. Cadernos de Saude Publica 25, S168S178.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muehlen, M., Feldmeier, H., Wilcke, T., Winter, B. & Heukelbach, J. (2006) Identifying risk factors for tungiasis and heavy infestation in a resource-poor community in northeast Brazil. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 100, 371380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nakagawa, J., Hashimoto, K., Cordon-Rosales, C., Abraham Juarez, J., Trampe, R. & Marroquin Marroquin, L. (2003) The impact of vector control on Triatoma dimidiata in the Guatemalan department of Jutiapa. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 97, 288297.Google Scholar
Nakagawa, J., Juarez, J., Nakatsuji, K., Akiyama, T., Hernandez, G., Macal, R., Flores, C., Ortiz, M., Marroquin, L., Bamba, T. & Wakai, S. (2005) Geographical characterization of the triatomine infestations in north-central Guatemala. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 99, 307315.Google Scholar
PAHO (2005) Estimacion cuantitativa de la enfermedad de Chagas en las Americas. Pan American Health Organisation OPS/HDM/CD/425-06, 28 pp.Google Scholar
PAHO (2006) Agreements and recommendations from the IXth Annual IPCA Meeting. Pan American Health Organisation PAHO/HDM/CD/CHA/422/06, 5 pp.Google Scholar
Paz-Bailey, G., Monroy, C., Rodas, A., Rosales, R., Tabaru, R., Davies, C. & Lines, J. (2002) Incidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in two Guatemalan communities. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 96, 4852.Google Scholar
Petherick, A. (2010) Country by country. Nature 465, S10S11.Google Scholar
Ponce, C. (2007) Current situation of Chagas disease in Central America. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 102, 4144.Google Scholar
Rizzo, N.R., Arana, B.A., Diaz, A., Cordon-Rosales, C., Klein, R.E. & Powell, M.R. (2003) Seropositivity of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among school-age children in the endemic area of Guatemala. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68, 678682.Google Scholar
Rojas de Arias, A., Ferro, E.A., Ferreira, M.E. & Simancas, L.C. (1999) Chagas disease vector control through different intervention modalities in endemic localities of Paraguay. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 77, 331339.Google Scholar
Schofield, C.J. (1994) Triatominae: Biology and Control. U.K., Eurocommunica Publications, Zeneca Public Health.Google Scholar
Schofield, C.J. & Dujardin, J.P. (1997) Chagas disease vector control in Central America. Parasitology Today 13, 141144.Google Scholar
Starr, M.D., Rojas, J.C., Zeledon, R., Hird, D.W. & Carpenter, T.E. (1991) Chagas disease risk-factors for house infestation by Triatoma dimidiata, the major vector of Trypanasoma cruzi in Costa Rica. American Journal of Epidemiology 133, 740747.Google Scholar
Tabaru, Y., Monroy, C., Rodas, A. & Mejia, M. (1999 a) Chagas’ disease vector surveillance in various residences in Santa Maria Ixhuatan, Department of Santa Rosa, Guatemala. Medical Entomology and Zoology 50, 1925.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tabaru, Y., Monroy, C., Rodas, A., Mejia, M. & Rosales, R. (1999 b) The geographical distribution of vectors of Chagas disease and population at risk of infestation in Guatemala. Medical Entomology and Zoology 50, 38.Google Scholar
WHO (2002) Control of Chagas disease. World Health Organisation Technical Report Series 905. p. 109.Google Scholar
WHO (2004) The world health report 2004: changing history. World Health Organisation Reports. p. 168.Google Scholar
Zeledon, R. & Vargas, L.G. (1984) The role of dirt floors and of firewood in rural dwellings in the epidemiology of Chagas disease in Costa Rica. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 33, 232235.Google Scholar
Zeledon, R., Zuniga, A. & Swartzwelder, J.C. (1969) The camouflage of Triatoma dimidiata and the epidemiology of Chagas disease in Costa Rica. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia 24, 106108.Google Scholar
Zeledon, R., Solano, G., Zuniga, A. & Swartzwe, J. (1973) Biology and ethology of Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811). 3. Habitat and blood sources. Journal of Medical Entomology 10, 363370.Google Scholar