Trypanosoma cruzi in wild raccoons, opossums, and triatomine bugs in southeast Georgia, U.S.A.
The prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among wild opossums and raccoons live-trapped in 6 southeast Georgia counties was determined. Epimastigotes typical of T. cruzi were observed in liver infusion tryptose medium cultures of blood from 6 of 39 opossums (15.4%) and 12 of 54 raccoons (22.2%). Trypomastigotes (6,000/ml) were observed in a wet mount of blood from 1 of the animals, a raccoon trapped on St. Catherines Island in Liberty County. In addition, T. cruzi parasites were observed in the gut contents of 3 of 5 specimens of the triatomine bug Triatoma sanguisuga (Leconte) collected near human dwellings in Bulloch County. This is the first report of T. cruzi-infected triatomine bugs in Georgia.
Pung
O J
OJ
Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro 30460-8042, USA.
Banks
C W
CW
Jones
D N
DN
Krissinger
M W
MW
D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums / Q000469:parasitology*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D014224:Triatoma / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification*