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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 10(2), 1961, pp. 155-165
Copyright © 1961 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Observations on Vectors of Chagas' Disease in the United States

III. New Mexico*

Sherwin F. Wood AND Fae D. Wood
Life Sciences Department, Los Angeles City College, and Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California

The causative agent of Chagas' disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, was found in 23 or 3.4% of 675 conenose bugs collected from 1936 to 1959 in New Mexico. Sixteen infected insects from Tyrone and two from Chaco Canyon were Triatoma protracta protracta and five from Carlsbad Caverns were Triatoma gerstaeckeri.

Naturally-infected mammals discovered by field xenodiagnosis were one male southern plains wood rat, Neotoma micropus canescens, from near Tyrone; one male suckling white throated wood rat, Neotoma albigula albigula, from 12.5 miles west of Carrizozo; and one female rusty antelope squirrel, Citellus leucurus cinnamoneus, from Chaco Canyon.

White mice inoculated intramuscularly with bug feces equivalent to a single natural contaminative defecation acquired light transitory blood parasitemias. Microscopically undetected blood invasions of 9 experimental white mice were infective for 19 of 43 bugs used in xenodiagnosis. A 2-day-old white mouse injected intraperitoneally with one dropping from a naturally-infected Tyrone male Triatoma was sacrificed on the 31st day. Tissue sections revealed a minimal focal interstitial myocarditis in association with groups of leishmaniform Trypanosoma cruzi.


* This study was partially supported by a research grant in 1957 to the senior author from the American Association for the Advancement of Science under the auspices of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. The following personnel of the National Park Service forwarded bugs for examination: L. P. Arnberger, G. S. Cattanach, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Elmore, Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Hastings, A. F. Hewitt, Jr., R. T. Hoskins, T. C. Miller, C. C. Sharp, P. F. Spangle and Arthur White. An infected Triatoma from Carlsbad was received from Gerald D. Harwood. Thanks are due Dr. D. G. Constantine, S. W. Rabies Investigation Station, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, State College, New Mexico, for permission to xenodiagnose 35 bats and 4 skunks; Supt. C. C. Sharp and Naturalist D. G. Warnock for identification of and permission to xenodiagnose 24 Chaco Canyon mammals; Supt. C. T. Howell, for permission to sample 12 Gran Quivira mammals; and Supervisor John Stock, Burro Mountain Branch, Phelps Dodge Corp., for permission to collect mammals and bugs at Tyrone. Dr. C. A. McLaughlin, Assistant Curator of Birds and mammals, Los Angeles County Museum, identified the Gran Quivira mammal skins. The muscle pathology was interpreted by Dr. Carl M. Pearson, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Mr. Philip Bleicher, also of that institution, took the photographs.






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Copyright © 1961 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.