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Triatominae in Experimental Transmission of Plague
Summary
Eight species in two genera of Triatominae have been tested as vectors of plague. The plague bacilli were found to remain infective in Triatoma protracta (Uhler) for 3 days at 30°C., but were negative on the fifth day when the bugs were injected as an aqueous suspension into guinea pigs and mice.
Four adult Triatoma phyllosoma pallidipennis (Stål) in 2 different groups transmitted plague by interrupted feeding; i.e., first feeding on an infected mouse and then feeding on a healthy mouse. These transmissions were probably due to contaminated mouth parts. Thirteen similar feedings were negative using 5 other species of Triatoma.
Triatoma protracta and Mestor megistus (Burmeister) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas and Pasteurella pestis (Lehman and Neumann) were fed to mice; 4 positive plague infections resulted one of which was pneumonic; 3 mice were negative. Thirteen other tests with plague-infected Triatominae fed to mice failed to transmit P. pestis through the gastrointestinal tract, but produced 3 pneumonic cases.
Triatoma platensis Neiva was the only species to yield plague positive feces out of 17 specimens tested.