Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is spread mostly by insects in the subfamily Triatominae, known as "kissing bugs". The symptoms change over the course of the infection. In the early stage, symptoms are typically either not present or mild, and may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, or swelling at the site of the bite. After four to eight weeks, untreated individuals enter the chronic phase of disease, which in most cases does not result in further symptoms. Up to 45% of people with chronic infections develop heart disease 10–30 years after the initial illness, which can lead to heart failure. Digestive complications, including an enlarged esophagus or an enlarged colon, may also occur in up to 21% of people, and up to 10% of people may experience nerve damage.
Triatoma protracta is a species of any mid sized insect in the family Reduviidae. It is known commonly as the western bloodsucking conenose. It is distributed in the western United States and Mexico.
The Reduviidae is a large cosmopolitan family of the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera. Among the Hemiptera and together with the Nabidae almost all species are terrestrial ambush predators; most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic. The main examples of non-predatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae, with a few species from South America noted for their ability to transmit Chagas disease. Though spectacular exceptions are known, most members of the family are fairly easily recognizable; they have a relatively narrow neck, sturdy build, and formidable curved proboscis. Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis.
The members of the Triatominae, a subfamily of the Reduviidae, are also known as conenose bugs, kissing bugs, or vampire bugs. Other local names for them used in the Americas include barbeiros, vinchucas, pitos, chipos and chinches. Most of the 130 or more species of this subfamily feed on vertebrate blood; a very small portion of species feed on invertebrates. They are mainly found and widespread in the Americas, with a few species present in Asia and Africa. These bugs usually share shelter with nesting vertebrates, from which they suck blood. In areas where Chagas disease occurs, all triatomine species are potential vectors of the Chagas disease parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, but only those species that are well adapted to living with humans are considered important vectors. Also, proteins released from their bites have been known to induce anaphylaxis in sensitive and sensitized individuals.
Triatoma is a genus of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae. The members of Triatoma are blood-sucking insects that can transmit serious diseases, such as Chagas disease. Their saliva may also trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, up to and including severe anaphylactic shock.
Panstrogylus geniculatus is a blood-sucking sylvatic insect noted as a putative vector of minor importance in the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi to humans; this is a parasite, which causes Chagas disease. The insect is described as sylvatic; subsisting primarily in humid forests, and is also known to inhabit vertebrate nesting places such as those of the armadillo, and is also involved in enzootic transmission of T. cruzi to those species. It has wide distribution throughout 16 Latin American countries.
Trypanosoma cruzi is a species of parasitic euglenoids. Among the protozoa, the trypanosomes characteristically bore tissue in another organism and feed on blood (primarily) and also lymph. This behaviour causes disease or the likelihood of disease that varies with the organism: Chagas disease in humans, dourine and surra in horses, and a brucellosis-like disease in cattle. Parasites need a host body and the haematophagous insect triatomine is the major vector in accord with a mechanism of infection. The triatomine likes the nests of vertebrate animals for shelter, where it bites and sucks blood for food. Individual triatomines infected with protozoa from other contact with animals transmit trypanosomes when the triatomine deposits its faeces on the host's skin surface and then bites. Penetration of the infected faeces is further facilitated by the scratching of the bite area by the human or animal host.
Triatoma nigromaculata is a sylvatic species of insect usually found in hollow trees, in vertebrate nests on trees and occasionally in human dwellings. It usually lives in relatively humid forests at high altitudes on mountain regions and foot hills. As all members of the subfamily Triatominae, T. nigromaculata is a blood-sucking bug and a potential vector of Chagas disease. This species is distributed mainly in Venezuela, but some specimens have also been found in Perú and Colombia (Cauca).
Triatoma brasiliensis is now considered the most important Chagas disease vector in the semiarid areas of northeastern Brazil. T. brasiliensis occurs in 12 Brazilian states, including Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba.
Triatoma rubrovaria is a species of triatomine that is ubiquitous to Uruguay, neighboring parts of northeastern Argentina, and in the southern states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. It was earlier reported as T. (triatoma) rubrovaria, a sylvatic species believed to be a highly competent vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease.
Rhodnius nasutus is a Chagas disease vector native to the northeast of Brazil. It belongs to the family Reduviidae and subfamily Triatominae, which are commonly known as "kissing bugs" or "assassin bugs". They are considered a highly important species concerning the infectious Chagas disease as they carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, that can be transmitted to the blood of mammals, including humans. This disease is an important issue in Brazil and central America due to the large number of Rhodnius species inhabiting these areas, however in recent efforts to reduce human infection, multiple variations of pesticides have dramatically reduced Triatomine populations. Therefore, the understanding and knowledge of Rhodnius nasutus greatly benefits our efforts in reducing life threatening infections.
Triatoma dominicana is an extinct species of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae, the kissing bugs known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.
Triatoma platensis is an ornitophilic species of triatomine in the family Reduviidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Triatoma sanguisuga, also known as the eastern bloodsucking conenose, is an insect of the Triatominae subfamily, known as kissing bugs.
Triatoma gerstaeckeri is an assassin bug in the genus Triatoma. It is an important vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The range of T. gerstaeckeri is from the south-western United States to north-eastern Mexico. T. gerstaeckeri goes through three stages during its paurometabolous life cycle: egg, nymphal instars and adult.
Triatoma indictiva is an arthropod in the assassin bug family of Reduviidae, and is an important vector of Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi is the protozoan that causes Chagas Disease, which affects approximately eight million people a year in the western hemisphere alone. Triatoma indictiva is found in Mexico and throughout the southern United States, including Arizona and Texas.
Triatoma virus (TrV) is a virus belonging to the insect virus family Dicistroviridae. Within this family, there are currently 3 genera and 15 species of virus. Triatoma virus belongs to the genus Cripavirus. It is non-enveloped and its genetic material is positive-sense, single-stranded RNA. The natural hosts of triatoma virus are invertebrates. TrV is a known pathogen to Triatoma infestans, the major vector of Chagas disease in Argentina which makes triatoma virus a major candidate for biological vector control as opposed to chemical insecticides. Triatoma virus was first discovered in 1984 when a survey of pathogens of triatomes was conducted in the hopes of finding potential biological control methods for T. infestans.
Panstrongylus megistus is a blood-drinking insect in the subfamily Triatominae. It is found in the Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It is an important vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, found particularly in Brazil. Besides humans, P. megistus is known to feed on birds, rodents, horses, dogs, opossums and bats.
Triatoma sordida is an assassin bug within the genus Triatoma. This species consists of three subspecies. Also referred to as kissing bugs, T.sordida are most well known for their role as a secondary vector of Chagas Disease. Inhabiting warm, dry climates, T.sordida are widely distributed throughout South America, occupying houses, farming structures, and wild habitats. Pest control is currently focused on insecticide application. However, biological controls utilizing fungi appear promising.
Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa is a species of fossil insect belonging to the subfamily Triatominae of the family Reduviidae. Living kissing bugs are blood-sucking insects responsible for the transmission of Chagas disease. Chagas is a parasitic disease affecting millions of people mainly in South America, Central America and Mexico.
