Triatoma sanguisuga Blood Meals and Potential for Chagas Disease, Louisiana, USA

Abstract

To evaluate human risk for Chagas disease, we molecularly identified blood meal sources and prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among 49 Triatoma sanguisuga kissing bugs in Louisiana, USA. Humans accounted for the second most frequent blood source. Of the bugs that fed on humans, ≈40% were infected with T. cruzi, revealing transmission potential.

Keywords

• Triatoma sanguisuga
• Chagas disease
• blood meals
• 12S rDNA
• Trypanosoma cruzi
• parasites