The trouble with border fences

Chagas disease and the link to new host animals

Chagas Disease is a tropical disease that is spread mostly by the kissing bug. Symptoms can range from not present to heart failure. 60-70% of those infected do not develop symptoms past headaches and localized swelling of the bite area. However 20-30% can develop an enlarged heart which can result in heart failure.

Although Chagas disease is widespread, little is known about the transmission of the disease (Science Daily). The parasite is transmitted to varied animal hosts when the kissing bug bites the animal or human. Infection occurs if the bug feces enters through the mucous membrane.

A recent study by Georgieva, et. al., has stated that existing host records are heavily biased towards well-studied primary vector species. Results of this study show

New host associations for several groups of arboreal mammals were determined including sloths, New World monkeys, coatis, arboreal porcupines and, for the first time as a host of any Triatominae, tayras. A thorough review of previously documented sylvatic hosts, organized by triatomine species and the type of observation (associational, antibody-based, or DNA-based), is presented in a phylogenetic context and highlights large gaps in our knowledge of Triatominae biology (Georgieva, et. al, p.1).

To read the complete study and find out the specifics and why this study is important in the management of this disease,  follow this link.

References:

Anna Y. Georgieva, Eric R.L. Gordon, Christiane Weirauch. Sylvatic host associations of Triatominae and implications for Chagas disease reservoirs: a review and new host records based on archival specimens. PeerJ, 2017; 5: e3826 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3826

Image credit: By Greg Hume - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27876162