HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by GUZMAN-TAPIA, Y. Articles by DUMONTEIL, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by GUZMAN-TAPIA, Y. Articles by DUMONTEIL, E. Related Collections Triatomine bugs Chagas Disease Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

EFFECT OF HURRICANE ISIDORE ON TRIATOMA DIMIDIATA DISTRIBUTION AND CHAGAS DISEASE TRANSMISSION RISK IN THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA OF MEXICO

Hurricanes can have devastating effects on health and may directly modulate vector-borne diseases. Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomine bugs, and the effect of hurricanes on these bugs is largely unknown. We thus performed a detailed study of the changes in Triatoma dimidiata geographic distribution and infection rates after Hurricane Isidore devastated the Yucatán Peninsula in September 2002. Bugs were collected in 34 villages from the entire peninsula, during a year, starting 3 months after the hurricane. Pre- and posthurricane bug collections were compared to assess changes. The most notable effect was a large increase in domestic abundance of T. dimidiata during the 6 months after the hurricane. This increase was maximum along the path of the hurricane. These results suggest that vector control programs should be implemented along the path of hurricanes to prevent an increase in Chagas disease transmission risk in the ensuing months.

Received February 7, 2005. Accepted for publication June 3, 2005.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank all the families who participated in this study for their interest and commitment in spite of the adverse circumstances they faced. We also acknowledge the helpful discussions and comments from F. Menu, S. Gourbière, J. F. Cornu, and E. Rebollar-Tellez.

Financial support: The study was funded by grant no. 20020404 from SISIERRA/CONACYT to E. D. Y. G. T. received an M.Sc. scholarship from CONACYT.

^* Address correspondence to Eric Dumonteil, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 50, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. E-mail: oliver{at}tunku.uady.mx.

Authors’ addresses: Yadira Guzman-Tapia, Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra, Javier Escobedo-Ortegon, and Eric Dumonteil, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 50, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, Telephone: 52-999-924-5910, Fax: 52-999-923-6120, E-mail: oliver{at}tunku.uady.mx.

Reprint requests: Eric Dumonteil, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 50, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, Telephone: 52-999-924-5910, Fax: 52-999-923-6120, E-mail: oliver{at}tunku.uady.mx.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Gourbiere, E. Dumonteil, J. E. Rabinovich, R. Minkoue, and F. Menu Demographic and Dispersal Constraints for Domestic Infestation by Non-Domicilated Chagas Disease Vectors in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico Am J Trop Med Hyg, January 1, 2008; 78(1): 133 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. DUMONTEIL, F. TRIPET, M. J. RAMIREZ-SIERRA, V. PAYET, G. LANZARO, and F. MENU ASSESSMENT OF TRIATOMA DIMIDIATA DISPERSAL IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO BY MORPHOMETRY AND MICROSATELLITE MARKERS Am J Trop Med Hyg, May 1, 2007; 76(5): 930 - 937. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]