Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Triatoma infestans and other triatomines: long-term effects of a control program in rural northwestern Argentina

The prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Triatoma infestans, Triatoma guasayana, and Triatoma sordida was evaluated in Amamá and other neighboring rural villages in northwestern Argentina for five years after massive spraying with deltamethrin in 1992 and selective sprays thereafter. Local residents and expert staff collected triatomines in domiciliary and peridomestic sites. During 1993-1997, the prevalence of T. cruzi was 2.4% in 664 T. infestans, 0.7% in 268 T. guasayana, and 0.2% in 832 T. sordida. T. cruzi infection was more frequently detected in adult bugs and in triatomines collected at domiciliary sites. The infected T. guasayana and T. sordida were nymphs and adults, respectively, captured at peridomestic sites. The prevalence of T. cruzi infection in T. infestans decreased from 7.7% to 1.5% during the surveillance period, although that change was not statistically significant. Comparison of T. infestans infection rates before the control program and during surveillance showed a highly significant decrease from 49% to 4.6% in bedrooms, as well as a fall from 6% to 1.8% in peridomestic sites. Because of its infection with T. cruzi and frequent invasion of domiciliary areas and attacks on humans and dogs, T. guasayana appeared implicated as a putative secondary vector of T. cruzi in domestic and peridomestic sites during the surveillance period. T. sordida was the most abundant species, but it was strongly associated with chickens and showed little tendency to invade bedrooms.