Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease: Boundaries between wild and domestic cycles in Venezuela

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi the etiological agent of American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease (ChD) is transmitted by triatomines vectors between mammals including man. T. cruzi has existed for circa 150Ma in the Americas and nearly 10million people are currently infected. The overlap between wild and domestic ecotopes where T. cruzi circulates is increasing. Host-parasite interactions have been determined by infection patterns in these cycles, all under natural or laboratorial conditions.This mini-review describes specific parasite niches, such as plant communities or biological corridors between domestic and wild landscapes, in order to help identify risk factors for ChD and define the boundaries between wild and domestic transmission cycles, with an emphasis on research undertaken in Venezuela.