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ASSESSMENT OF TRIATOMA DIMIDIATA DISPERSAL IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO BY MORPHOMETRY AND MICROSATELLITE MARKERS

In the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, the main vector of Chagas disease is Triatoma dimidiata. Field studies suggest that natural transmission occurs through transient and seasonal invasion of houses by sylvatic/peridomestic triatomines, rather than through persistent domiciliated bug populations. We investigated the genetic structure of T. dimidiata populations, using morphometry and microsatellite markers, to assess dispersal of individuals in this triatomine species and to understand the dynamics of domestic infestation. We observed low phenotypic and genetic differentiation among populations from different villages, with an FST of only 0.0553, which suggested a weak but significant population structure at this level. Similarly low but significant differences were observed among populations from the same village but different biotopes (sylvatic, peridomestic, and domestic), with FST values ranging from 0.0096 to 0.0455. These data suggested elevated dispersal of bugs between biotopes (Nm = 5–25), which was confirmed by likelihood and Bayesian assignment tests. A proportion of bugs collected within domiciles were significantly assigned to peridomestic and sylvatic areas. This study showed that T. dimidiata has important dispersal capabilities that can explain the seasonal pattern of domicile infestation by peridomestic and sylvatic bugs. Therefore, dispersal should be taken into account in the design of effective vector control strategies.

Received June 10, 2006. Accepted for publication January 18, 2007.

Acknowledgments: We thank M. Mestres-Tarres and J. F. Cornu for help with the morphometric measurements.

Financial support: This study was supported by the UNDP/World Bank/World Health Organization Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), Project #A02424, and grant #20020404 from SISIERRA/CONACYT, Mexico, to Eric Dumonteil, and by the Région Rhône-Alpes, grant n° 03 00 57 3401 to Vincent Payet and Frédéric Menu.

^* Addresss correspondence to Eric Dumonteil, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 59, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. E-mail: oliver{at}uady.mx

Authors’ addresses: Eric Dumonteil and Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 50, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, Telephone: 52-999-924-5910, Fax: 52-999-923-6120, E-mail: oliver{at}uady.mx. Frédéric Tripet, Center for Applied Entomology and Parasitology, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle ST5 5BG, United Kingdom. Vincent Payet and Frédéric Menu, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Unité Mixte de Recherches 5558, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Lyon, Villeurbanne, F-69622, France. Gregory Lanzaro, Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616.

Reprint requests: Eric Dumonteil, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 50, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.