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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 80(6), 2009, pp. 944-946
Copyright © 2009 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are Naturally Infected with Different Trypanosoma cruzi Genotypes

Carezza Botto-Mahan*, Mariana Acuña-Retamar, Ricardo Campos, Pedro E. Cattan, AND Aldo Solari
Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

 

ABSTRACT

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, presents a complex life cycle, cycling between reduviid vectors and wild and domestic mammals. The European rabbit is an introduced species in America, but its role as reservoir in the wild transmission cycle of Chagas disease remains unknown. We used polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot, and hybridization tests to detect infection and characterize genotypes in rabbits from a hyperendemic area of Chagas disease in Chile. Results show 38% of infection with different genotypes. We provide evidence that rabbits are naturally infected with T. cruzi, which may have important epidemiologic consequences for the wild transmission cycle.

Received December 11, 2008. Accepted for publication February 2, 2009.

Financial support: This study was supported by grants FONDECY 1040711 to Pedro E. Cattan, 1040762/1085154 to Aldo Solari, and CONICYT-PBCT/PSD66 to Carezza Botto-Mahan.

* Address correspondence to Carezza Botto-Mahan, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile. E-mail: cbotto{at}uchile.cl

Authors’ addresses: Carezza Botto-Mahan, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile, Tel: 56-2-978-7392, Fax: 56-2-273-7363, E-mail: cbotto{at}uchile.cl. Mariana Acuña-Retamar and Pedro E. Cattan, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 2 Correo 15, Santiago, Chile, Tel: 56-2-9785629, Fax: 56-2-9785526, E-mail: pcattan{at}uchile.cl. Ricardo Campos and Aldo Solari, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 70086, Santiago 7, Chile, Tel: 56-2-978-6062, Fax: 56-2-735-5580, E-mail: asolari{at}med.uchile.cl.




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X. Coronado, M. Rozas, C. Botto-Mahan, S. Ortiz, P. E. Cattan, and A. Solari
Molecular Epidemiology of Chagas Disease in the Wild Transmission Cycle: The Evaluation in the Sylvatic Vector Mepraia spinolai from an Endemic Area of Chile
Am J Trop Med Hyg, October 1, 2009; 81(4): 656 - 659.
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Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.