cmedina at ccr.dsi.uanl.mx wrote:
-Does anyone can inform me about the ocurrence of native cases of Chagas'
-disease in Canada?. I do not know if the triatominidae vectors con can
-live so far north.
-Thanks for your assistance!
Dear Carlos,
I have also been interested in the northern limits of T. cruzi's
range. As far as I can determine, the northernmost records are in
the USA: Maryland in the east, California in the west. Triatomines
are reported to be found a little bit further north than this. I
have posted messages to this group previously, trying to determine
if any surveys have been done in more northerly locations, without
much success. However, I believe that much of the transmission in
the USA is not via triatomines but is transplacental, since the
behavior of the local species of bugs is not conducive to the
normal route of transmission. If I am correct then the triatomine
distribution need not match that of the infected sylvatic hosts.
At the risk of seeming self-promoting, you might want to read the
basis for my arguments in:
Clark and Pung, 1994, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 66, 175-179
If you find any northern records I would be very interested in
hearing about them!
Graham
___________________________
C. Graham Clark, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases,
National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD 20892-0425, USA
Tel: 301-496-4740
FAX: 301-402-4941
e-mail: gclark at nih.gov
