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Which insects can act as vectors for Chagas disease?
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parasitic disease
Trypanosoma brucei in a blood smear (Giemsa-stained light photomicrograph).
Chagas disease is transmitted by bloodsucking insects known as kissing bugs, which belong to the subfamily Triatominae within the family Reduviidae (assassin bugs).12
Several genera of these insects act as vectors for the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes the disease. Key genera include:2
- Rhodnius: Including the well-known species Rhodnius prolixus, a primary vector in Central and South America.32
- Triatoma: Such as the species Triatoma dimidiata, which remains an endemic vector in various regions.32
- Panstrongylus: Another genus identified as a carrier of the parasite.2
These insects transmit the parasite by depositing T. cruzi in their excrement on the skin of a host while feeding on blood. Infection typically occurs when the parasite enters the bloodstream through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin, often facilitated by the victim scratching the bite site.431