Parasitological and molecular detection of Trypanosoma evansi in a dog from Tocache, San Martin, Peru.

This study presents the first case report of canine trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi in Peru. The case was admitted to a veterinary clinic in the Peruvian Amazon region of San Martin with severe clinical symptomatology which resulted in the dog's death. Microscopy screening showed the presence of trypomastigotes in blood and bone marrow and postmortem histopathology found damage at the cardiac, lung, kidney and spleen levels. Collected specimens were tested by nested-PCR which were positive for Trypanosoma spp., but negative for T. cruzi. High-throughput sequencing determined that the infecting species was closely related to T. equiperdom/evansi and subsequent phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the sample was related to T. evansi. The presence of T. evansi in the area highlights the need for increased surveillance to assess the impact of surra in the region and to develop measures to prevent socioeconomic damage resulting from infections in domestic and farm animals as well as prevent zoonotic transmission.

Comparison of sand fly trapping approaches for vector surveillance of Leishmania and Bartonella species in ecologically distinct, endemic regions of Peru.

BACKGROUND: In Peru, the information regarding sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis and bartonellosis in the Amazon region is limited. In this study, we carried out sand fly collections in Peruvian lowland and highland jungle areas using different trap type configurations and screened them for Leishmania and Bartonella DNA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Phlebotomine sand flies were collected in Peruvian Amazon jungle and inter Andean regions using CDC light trap, UV and color LED traps, Mosquito Magnet trap, BG Sentinel trap, and a Shannon trap placed outside the houses. Leishmania spp. screening was performed by kDNA PCR and confirmed by a nested cytochrome B gene (cytB) PCR. Bartonella spp. screening was performed by ITS PCR and confirmed by citrate synthase gene (gltA). The PCR amplicons were sequenced to identify Leishmania and Bartonella species. UV and Blue LED traps collected the highest average number of sand flies per hour in low jungle; UV, Mosquito Magnet and Shannon traps in high jungle; and Mosquito Magnet in inter Andean region. Leishmania guyanensis in Lutzomyia carrerai carrerai and L. naiffi in Lu. hirsuta hirsuta were identified based on cytB sequencing. Bartonella spp. related to Bartonella bacilliformis in Lu. whitmani, Lu. nevesi, Lu. hirsuta hirsuta and Lu. sherlocki, and a Bartonella sp. related to Candidatus B. rondoniensis in Lu. nevesi and Lu. maranonensis were identified based on gltA gene sequencing. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: UV, Blue LED, Mosquito Magnet and Shannon traps were more efficient than the BG-Sentinel, Green, and Red LED traps. This is the first report of L. naiffi and of two genotypes of Bartonella spp. related to B. bacilliformis and Candidatus B. rondoniensis infecting sand fly species from the Amazon region in Peru.

Aspectos entomológicos de la enfermedad de chagas en Huallaga y Picota, San Martín, Perú / Entomological aspects of chagas disease in Huallaga and Picota, San Martin, Peru

Introducción: Existe escasa información y no actualizada sobre la presencia de triatominos en el departamento de San Martín, zona amazónica de nuestro país, y es importante actualizarla, ya que hay reportes recientes de casos de enfermedad de Chagas procedentes de la amazonía peruana cuyos vectores serían triatominos silvestres. Objetivos: Conocer la distribución geográfica de triatominos hematófagos en Huallaga y Picota, San Martín, Perú. Determinar los índices entomológicos, sus hábitos alimenticios y caracterizar los tripanosomatídeos que portan. Diseño: Investigación descriptiva observacional. Lugar: Red de Salud Huallaga y Picota, Laboratorio Regional de la Región de Salud San Martín. Laboratorios del Instituto Nacional de Salud. Participantes: Viviendas de 6 distritos de las provincia de Huallaga y 9 de Picota, del Departamento de San Martín. Intervenciones: La búsqueda de triatominos fue en 3 362 viviendas de áreas periurbanas y rurales. Mediante la prueba de precipitina, se determinó la fuente de alimentación. Se aisló tripanosomatídeos mediante infección en ratones Balb/C e inoculación en medio agar sangre, y por PCR se caracterizó el genoma por amplificación del espaciador intergénico del gen miniexón. Principales medidas de resultados: Determinar si Huallaga y Picota, San Martín, Perú, son zonas de riesgo de enfermedad de Chagas. Resultados: En 46 viviendas, de 3 362 muestreadas se capturó 53 triatominos adultos pertenecientes a Rhodnius pictipes (56,6 por ciento), Panstrongylus geniculatus (41,5 por ciento) y Eratyrus mucronatus (1,9 por ciento). Se reporta P. geniculatus por primera vez para las dos provincias. Los índices de infestación para ambas provincias fueron 1,4 por ciento y 3,8 por ciento, respectivamente, y corresponden al índice de infección natural; mientras que el índice de dispersión fue 30,1 por ciento. En R. pictipes se identificó cinco fuentes de alimentación (pollo, humano, perro, cobayo y gato) y en P. geniculatus un perfil alimentario mixto: perro/gato/pollo. Los Trypanosoma spp. aislados de R. pictipes, procedente de Sacanche (Huallaga), corresponden a TCI (350 pb); resultado similar se obtuvo en los 10 clones de este aislamiento. Conclusiones: Los resultados nos indican que, en las localidades estudiadas, R. pictipes y P. geniculatus estarían pasando por un proceso de domiciliación y que en las localidades de Huallaga R. pictipes sería el principal vector de Trypanosoma cruzi TC1; por lo que, dichas localidades estarían consideradas como zonas de riesgo de enfermedad de Chagas.

Introduction: There is little and not recent information on the presence of triatomine bugs in San Martin department, Amazon area of our country where Chagas disease has been reported by wild triatomine insects as vectors. Objectives: To determine the geographic distribution of hematophagous triatomine insects in Huallaga and Picota provinces, San Martin department, Peru. To determine the domiciliary infestation by triatomine vectors indexes, trypano-triatomine infection as well as their dispersion. To determine the insects feeding source and to genetically characterize the tripanosomatidae they carry. Design: Observational and descriptive study. Setting: Health and Laboratories region networks. National Institute of Health laboratories. Participants: Houses from 6 districts of Huallaga province and 9 from Picota province (San Martin department). Interventions: Triatomine insectÆs collection was carried out in 3 362 homes located in semi-urban and rural zones accounting for 30 per cent of the total area of studied provinces. Feeding preferences were assessed by a precipitin test using specific antibodies against guinea pig, dog, cat, chicken and human beings sera. Trypanosomes were isolated by inoculation of stool samples from infected insects in Balb/c mice and using axenic culture media. Genetic characterization was done by PCR amplification of the genome by gene intergenic spacer of the miniexon. Main outcome measures: To assess if Huallaga and Picota, San Martin, Peru, are Chagas disease risk areas. Results: In 46 of the 3 368 homes visited, 53 triatomine adults were collected belonging to the species Rhodnius pictipes (56,6 per cent), Panstrongylus geniculatus (41,5 per cent) and Eratyrus mucronatus (1,9 per cent). For the first time, P. geniculatus was reported in both provinces included in the study. Domiciliary infestation index was 1,4 per cent, trypano-triatomine infection index was 3,8 per cent and dispersion index was 30,1 per cent. For R. pictipes 5 sources of food were identified (chicken, human, dog, guinea pig and cat) and for P. geniculatus, a mix feed: dog, cat and chicken. Trypanosoma spp. isolates of R. pictipes from Sacanche (Huallaga) belonged to T. cruzi TCI (350 pb); similar result was obtained in 10 clones studied. Conclusions: Results indicate that R. pictipes and P. geniculatus are undergoing colonization of the regions included in this study. Within the province of Huallaga, R. pictipes is the predominant vector of T. cruzi; therefore these locations must be considered high risk areas for Chagas disease.