Triatoma patagonica (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), a new host for Triatoma virus

Abstract

Previous authors demonstrated that Triatoma virus (TrV) is able to infect several species of triatomines when injected with viral inoculum obtained from its original host, T. infestans. Both vertical (transovarian) and horizontal (faecal-oral) mechanisms of viral transmission were also described. In this paper we report the experimental TrV infection of a wild species from southern Argentina, T. patagonica. The inoculum consisted of clarified gut contents of infected T. infestans rubbed on the chicken skin whereupon T. patagonica individuals were fed. The results demonstrate that this is another potential host for the virus, and that the oral route is also effective for experimental interspecific infections.