Near infrared spectroscopy accurately detects Trypanosoma cruzi non-destructively in midguts, rectum and excreta samples of Triatoma infestans.

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasite with an estimated 70 million people at risk. Traditionally, parasite presence in triatomine vectors is detected through optical microscopy which can be low in sensitivity or molecular techniques which can be costly in endemic countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a reagent-free technique, the Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) for rapid and non-invasive detection of T. cruzi in Triatoma infestans body parts and in wet/dry excreta samples of the insect. NIRS was 100% accurate for predicting the presence of T. cruzi infection Dm28c strain (TcI) in either the midgut or the rectum and models developed from either body part could predict infection in the other part. Models developed to predict infection in excreta samples were 100% accurate for predicting infection in both wet and dry samples. However, models developed using dry excreta could not predict infection in wet samples and vice versa. This is the first study to report on the potential application of NIRS for rapid and non-invasive detection of T. cruzi infection in T. infestans in the laboratory. Future work should demonstrate the capacity of NIRS to detect T. cruzi in triatomines originating from the field.