European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are Naturally Infected with Different Trypanosoma cruzi Genotypes

Carezza Botto-Mahan Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Search for other papers by Carezza Botto-Mahan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Mariana Acuña-Retamar Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Search for other papers by Mariana Acuña-Retamar in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Ricardo Campos Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Search for other papers by Ricardo Campos in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Pedro E. Cattan Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Search for other papers by Pedro E. Cattan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Aldo Solari Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Search for other papers by Aldo Solari in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, presents a complex life cycle, cycling between reduviid vectors and wild and domestic mammals. The European rabbit is an introduced species in America, but its role as reservoir in the wild transmission cycle of Chagas disease remains unknown. We used polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot, and hybridization tests to detect infection and characterize genotypes in rabbits from a hyperendemic area of Chagas disease in Chile. Results show 38% of infection with different genotypes. We provide evidence that rabbits are naturally infected with T. cruzi, which may have important epidemiologic consequences for the wild transmission cycle.

Author Notes

  • 1

    Panzera F, Dujardin JP, Nicolini P, Caraccio MN, Rose V, Tellez T, Bermúdez H, Bargues MD, Mas-Coma S, O’Connor JE, Pérez R, 2004. Genomic changes of Chagas disease vector, South America. Emerg Infect Dis 10 :438–446.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 2

    Botto-Mahan C, Ortiz S, Rozas M, Cattan P, Solari A, 2005. DNA evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Chilean wild vector Mepraia spinolai (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 100 :237–239.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 3

    Rozas M, Botto-Mahan C, Coronado X, Ortiz S, Cattan PE, Solari A, 2007. Coexistence of Trypanosoma cruzi genotypes in wild and peridomestic mammals in Chile. Am J Trop Med Hyg 77 :647–653.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 4

    Jaksic FM, Iriarte JA, Jiménez JE, Martínez DR, 2002. Invaders without frontiers: cross-border invasions of exotic mammals. Biol Invasions 4 :157–173.

  • 5

    Jaksic FM, 1998. Vertebrate invaders and their ecological impacts in Chile. Biodivers Conserv 17 :1427–1445.

  • 6

    Canals M, Cruzat L, Molina MC, Ferreira A, Cattan PE, 2001. Blood host sources of Mepraia spinolai (Heteroptera: Reduviidae), wild vector of Chagas disease in Chile. J Med Entomol 38 :303–307.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7

    Botto-Mahan C, Cattan PE, Canals M, Acuña M, 2005. Seasonal variation in the home range and host availability of the bloodsucking insect Mepraia spinolai in wild environment. Acta Trop 95 :160–163.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8

    WHO, 2002. Control of Chagas Disease. WHO Technical Report Series 905. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 9

    Teixeira ARL, Figueiredo F, Rezende J, Macêdo V, 1983. Chagas disease: a clinical, parasitological, immunological, and pathological study in rabbits. Am J Trop Med Hyg 32 :258–272.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10

    Roellig DM, Brown EL, Barnabé C, Tibayrenc M, Steurer FJ, Yabsley MJ, 2008. Molecular typing of Trypanosoma cruzi isolates, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 14 :1123–1125.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11

    Yeo M, Acosta N, Llewellyn M, Sánchez H, Adamson S, Miles GAJ, López E, González N, Patterson JS, Gaunt MW, Rojas De Arias A, Miles MA, 2005. Origins of Chagas disease: Didelphis species are natural hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi I and armadillos hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi II, including hybrids. Int J Parasitol 35 :225–233.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12

    de Freitas JM, Augusto-Pinto L, Pimenta JR, Bastos-Rodrigues L, Gon alves VF, Teixeira SM, Chiari E, Junqueira AC, Fernandes O, Macedo AM, Machado CR, Pena SD, 2006. Ancestral genomes, sex, and the population structure of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Pathog 2 :226–235.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 13

    Schenone H, Villarroel F, Rojas A, 1995. Presencia de Triatoma spinolai en viviendas humanas. Bol Chil Parasitol 50 :76–79.

  • 14

    Wincker P, Britto C, Pereira JB, Cardoso MA, Oelemann W, Morel CM, 1994. Use of simplified polymerase chain reaction procedure to detect Trypanosoma cruzi in blood samples from chronic chagasic patients in a rural endemic area. Am J Trop Med Hyg 51 :226–233.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 15

    Veas F, Breniere SF, Cuny G, Brengues C, Solari A, Tibayrenc M, 1991. General procedure to construct highly specific kDNA probes for clones of Trypanosoma cruzi for sensitive detection by polymerase chain reaction. Cell Mol Biol 37 :73–84.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 16

    Schijman AG, Altcheh J, Burgos JM, Biancardi M, Bisio M, Levin MJ, Freilij H, 2003. Aetiological treatment of congenital Chagas disease diagnosed and monitored by the polymerase chain reaction. J Antimicrob Chemother 52 :441–449.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 17

    Teixeira MMG, daSilva FM, Marcili A, Umezawa ES, Shikanai-Yasuda MA, Cunha-Neto E, Kalil J, Stolf N, Stolf AMS, 2006. Trypanosoma cruzi lineage I in endomyocardial biosy from Northeastern Brazilian patient at end-stage chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy. Trop Med Int Health 11 :294–298.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 18

    DiNoia JM, Buscaglia CA, De Marchi CR, Almeida I, Frasch ACC, 2002. A Trypanosoma cruzi small surface molecule provides the first immunological evidence that Chagas disease is due to a single parasite lineage. J Exp Med 195 :401–413.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 19

    Cohen JE, Gürtler RE, 2001. Modeling household transmission of African Trypanosomiasis. Science 29 :694–698.

  • 20

    Barbosa PRB, 2006. The oral transmission of Chagas disease: an acute form of infection responsible for regional outbreaks. Int J Cardiol 112 :132–133.

Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 365 335 17
Full Text Views 244 4 1
PDF Downloads 51 4 1
 
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save