Zoonotic Trypanosomes in Rats and Fleas of Venezuelan Slums

In this study, we report trypanosome-infectedRattus norvegicus andRattus rattus in human dwellings in slums neighboring Maracay, a large city near Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Blood samples ofR. norvegicus andR. rattus examined by PCR and FFLB (fluorescent fragment length barcoding) revealed a prevalence of 6.3% / 31.1% forTrypanosoma lewisi (agent of rat- and flea-borne human emergent zoonosis), and 10.5% / 24.6% forTrypanosoma cruzi (agent of Chagas disease). Detection in flea guts ofT. lewisi (76%) and, unexpectedly,T. cruzi (21.3%) highlighted the role of fleas as carriers and vectors of these trypanosomes. A high prevalence of rats infected withT. lewisi andT. cruzi and respective flea and triatomine vectors poses a serious risk of human trypanosomiasis in Venezuelan slums. Anthropogenic activities responsible for growing rat and triatomine populations within human dwellings drastically increased human exposure to trypanosomes. This scenario has allowed for the reemergence of Chagas disease as an urban zoonosis in Venezuela and can propitiate the emergence of atypicalT. lewisi infection in humans.
Source: EcoHealth - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research