New finding of peridomestic Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Mexico: Molecular approach using cytochrome B and cytochrome oxidase I

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 97; p. 105187
• Main Authors: Martínez-Hernández, Fernando, Villalobos, Guiehdani, Montañez-Valdez, Oziel Dante, Martínez-Ibarra, José Alejandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Animal Distribution; Animals; Chagas disease; Female; Gene Flow; Introduced species; Male; Mexico; Molecular approach; Nymph - genetics; Nymph - growth & development; Phylogeny; Triatoma - genetics; Triatoma - growth & development; Triatoma infestans; Mexico; Chagas disease; Mexico; Introduced species; Molecular approach; Triatoma infestans
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105187

A previous work morphologically identified some specimens colonizing peridomestic sites of Manzanillo Colima, Mexico, as Triatoma infestans (Klug). In the present study, a molecular approach using cytochrome B and cytochrome oxidase I was implemented for the genetic identification and determination of the origin of that population. Phylogenetic analyses positively identified our studied specimens as belonging to the T. infestans clade based on genetic markers with high posterior probability values, and the haplotype network showed Uruguay, Chile and Argentina as probable countries of origin of the populations in Mexico, which was supported by gene flow and migration index analyses. Due to the proximity of the port of Manzanillo to the collection sites, the introduced specimens were hypothesized to have travelled from the countries of origin to Mexico in a seed shipment inside a TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) maritime container. The identification of T. infestans in Mexico represents a serious health problem, and the findings presented here indicate a novel pathway for displacing this vector with the possibility of transmission to any other part of the world, which should be further investigated. [Display omitted] •The population of T. infestans from Mexico was molecularly characterized with cytochrome B and cytochrome oxidase I.•Haplotype networks and genetic analysis of populations suggested that the probable origin is Uruguay, Chile or Argentina.•It is hypothesized that the introduced specimens had travelled to Mexico inside a TEU shipping container.•The presence of T. infestans in Mexico implies a serious health problem, due to the importance of this species