title: Potential Distribution of Chagas Disease Vectors (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in Colombia, Based on Ecological Niche Modeling.
abstract: Ecological niche modeling of Triatominae bugs allow us to establish the local risk of transmission of the parasiteTrypanosoma cruzi,which causes Chagas disease. This information could help to guide health authority recommendations on infection monitoring, prevention, and control. In this study, we estimated the geographic distribution of triatomine species in Colombia and identified the relationship between landscape structure and climatic factors influencing their occurrence. A total of 2451 records of 4 triatomine species (Panstrongylus geniculatus,Rhodnius pallescens,R. prolixus, andTriatoma maculata) were analyzed. The variables that provided more information to explain the ecologic niche of these vectors were related to precipitation, altitude, and temperature. We found that the species with the broadest potential geographic distribution wereP. geniculatus,R. pallescens, andR. prolixus. In general, the models predicted the highest occurrence probability of these vectors in the eastern slope of the Eastern Cordillera, the southern region of the Magdalena valley, and the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta.
authors.affiliation: Red Chagas Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Centro de Investigación en Salud para el Trópico (CIST), Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Santa Marta, Colombia.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4535-6521
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parra-Henao
authors.affiliation: Red Chagas Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical-Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Suárez-Escudero
authors.affiliation: Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González-Caro