title: Sylvatic Triatoma infestans (Reduviidae, Triatominae) in the Andean valleys of Bolivia.
abstract: Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the Southern Cone countries. Wild populations of T. infestans appear widespread throughout the Andean valleys of Bolivia. In Cotapachi (2750 m asl), all sorts of rocky outcrops, regardless of their size, provided good refuges for T. infestans. Of the 1120 ecotopes investigated, 330 (29.5%) contained triatomines and 92% of the collected insects were nymphal instars. In the cold season, triatomine densities were similar in small and large outcrops. During the hot season, bug densities were higher in the larger outcrops, particularly in those located in peridomestic sites. T. infestans populations apparently produced one generation per year. Over half the sampled bugs were positive for T. cruzi infection. At Mataral (1750 m asl), a site located in the inter-Andean Chaco, a new morph of T. infestans was detected in a sylvatic environment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mirko Rojas
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emperaire
authors.forename: Romina V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Piccinali
authors.forename: Ricardo E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gürtler
authors.forename: Faustino
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Torrico
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noireau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001838:Bolivia; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D004463:Ecology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000469:parasitology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees; D014224:Triatoma / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification*