title: Molecular identification of wild triatomines of the genus Rhodnius in the Bolivian Amazon: Strategy and current difficulties.
abstract: The Amazon region has recently been considered as endemic in Latin America. In Bolivia, the vast Amazon region is undergoing considerable human migrations and substantial anthropization of the environment, potentially renewing the danger of establishing the transmission of Chagas disease. The cases of human oral contamination occurring in 2010 in the town of Guayaramerín provided reasons to intensify research. As a result, the goal of this study was to characterize the species of sylvatic triatomines circulating in the surroundings of Yucumo (Beni, Bolivia), a small Amazonian city at the foot of the Andes between the capital (La Paz) and Trinidad the largest city of Beni. The triatomine captures were performed with mice-baited adhesive traps mostly settled in palm trees in forest fragments and pastures. Species were identified by morphological observation, dissection of genitalia, and sequencing of three mitochondrial gene fragments and one nuclear fragment. Molecular analysis was based on (i) the identity score of the haplotypes with GenBank sequences through the BLAST algorithm and (ii) construction of phylogenetic trees. Thirty-four triatomines, all belonging to the Rhodnius genus, of which two were adult males, were captured in palm trees in forest fragments and pastures (overall infestation rate, 12.3%). The morphology of the phallic structures in the two males confirmed the R. stali species. For the other specimens, after molecular sequencing, only one specimen was identified with confidence as belonging to Rhodnius robustus, the others belonged to one of the species of the Rhodnius pictipes complex, probably Rhodnius stali. The two species, R. robustus and R. stali, had previously been reported in the Alto Beni region (edge of the Amazon region), but not yet in the Beni department situated in the Amazon region. Furthermore, the difficulties of molecular characterization of closely related species within the three complexes of the genus Rhodnius are highlighted and discussed.
authors.affiliation: INTERTRYP, CIRAD, IRD, TA A-17/G, International Campus in Baillarguet, Montpellier, France; Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Campus Nayon, Quito, Ecuador. Electronic address: Frederique.Breniere@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Simone Frédérique
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Brenière
authors.affiliation: Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Bioquímicas, Av. Saavedra N° 2224, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Edwin Wily
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Condori
authors.affiliation: INTERTRYP, CIRAD, IRD, TA A-17/G, International Campus in Baillarguet, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Rosio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buitrago
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Servicios de Laboratorios de Diagnostico e Investigación en Salud (SELADIS), UMSA, Av. Saavedra N° 2224, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Luis Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera (LIVEDIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP: 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Catarina Lopes
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.affiliation: INTERTRYP, CIRAD, IRD, TA A-17/G, International Campus in Baillarguet, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barnabé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D028023:Arecaceae; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D019476:Insect Proteins
keywords: Chagas; Gene; Molecular genetics; Sequencing; Triatominae