The number of families of Triatoma dimidiata in a Guatemalan house.
Triatoma dimidiata is an important vector of Chagas disease in Guatemala. To help understand the biology and population dynamics of the insect, we estimated the number of full sibling families living in one house. Forty one families with an average size of 2.17 individuals were detected using random amplification of polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction genetic markers. This result suggests high levels of migration of the vector, polyandry, and a significant capability for spreading the disease.
Melgar
Sergio
S
Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala. melgar@wisc.edu
Chávez
Juan José
JJ
Landaverde
Patricia
P
Herrera
Franklin
F
Rodas
Antonieta
A
Enríquez
Eunice
E
Dorn
Patricia
P
Monroy
Carlota
C
D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000635:transmission; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006166:Guatemala; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D014224:Triatoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics