Sylvatic focus of American Trypanosomiasis in the State of Morelos, Mexico

Wild vectors and reservoir hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi were surveyed from February 1993 to June1994 in Ticumán (18°46’N, 99°07’W), Mexico (Deciduous Tropical Forest). Direct faeces examination showedthat 87% of Triatoma pallidipennis hosted the parasite; T. cruzi forms were present in cultures inoculated withfaeces of fifty 67% triatomine bugs and thirty CD-1 strain mice (10 d old) inoculated (peritoneum) with faeces ofpositive insects T. cruzi amastigotes were found in heart 67%, kidneys 47%, liver 80%, lungs 50%, oesophagus60%, skin 23%, spleen 73% and stomach 60%. T. cruzi was isolated by direct blood examination from seven 21%chiropterans and five 38% rodents and T. cruzi forms were present in cultures inoculated with blood of twentythree68% chiropterans and seven 54% rodents and T. cruzi amastigotes were seen in the kidneys of one 3%chiropterans and four 31% rodents and only in one Pteronotus parnellii mexicanus, organisms were seen in skin2%. There was no association between organs and T. cruzi infection (p > 0.05). ; Se determinó la infección por Trypanosoma cruzi en chinches triatóminas y mamíferos silvestres capturados de febrero de 1993 a junio de 1994 en Ticumán (18°46’N, 99°07’W), Tlaltizapán, Morelos, México. El 87% de los ejemplares de Triatoma pallidipennis tenía el parásito; T. cruzi fue aislado de la sangre de siete quirópteros y cinco roedores. No hubo dependencia significativa entre los órganos examinados de los mamíferos y la infección por T. cruzi.