Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records
Chagas disease, caused by <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, is a significant health concern in Latin America, with triatomine insects serving as its primary vectors. Among them, <i>Triatoma barberi</i> is an important yet understudied species in Querétaro, Mexico. This study employs...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Zoonotic Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/15 |
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| author | Salvador Zamora-Ledesma Norma Hernández-Camacho Jesús Luna-Cozar Robert W. Jones María Elena Villagrán-Herrera Brenda Camacho-Macías |
| author_facet | Salvador Zamora-Ledesma Norma Hernández-Camacho Jesús Luna-Cozar Robert W. Jones María Elena Villagrán-Herrera Brenda Camacho-Macías |
| author_sort | Salvador Zamora-Ledesma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chagas disease, caused by <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, is a significant health concern in Latin America, with triatomine insects serving as its primary vectors. Among them, <i>Triatoma barberi</i> is an important yet understudied species in Querétaro, Mexico. This study employs ecological niche modeling (ENM) to predict the potential distribution of <i>T. barberi</i> in the region, using occurrence records and environmental variables. The MaxEnt algorithm was used to generate the model, which was validated through AUC and TSS metrics. Results indicate that temperature seasonality and altitude are key drivers of <i>T. barberi</i> distribution, with high-suitability areas found in semi-urban and peri-urban zones. Additionally, six new occurrence records were documented, suggesting a growing urban presence of this species. These findings highlight the need for enhanced vector surveillance and targeted control measures to reduce the risk of Chagas disease transmission. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-775c0eb3619448bf97672b03f4c36982 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2813-0227 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zoonotic Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-775c0eb3619448bf97672b03f4c369822025-08-20T03:29:48ZengMDPI AGZoonotic Diseases2813-02272025-06-01521510.3390/zoonoticdis5020015Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) RecordsSalvador Zamora-Ledesma0Norma Hernández-Camacho1Jesús Luna-Cozar2Robert W. Jones3María Elena Villagrán-Herrera4Brenda Camacho-Macías5Department of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, MexicoDepartment of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, MexicoDepartment of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, MexicoDepartment of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, MexicoDepartment of Biomedical Research, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Clavel 200, Prados de la Capilla, Querétaro 76176, MexicoDepartment of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, MexicoChagas disease, caused by <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, is a significant health concern in Latin America, with triatomine insects serving as its primary vectors. Among them, <i>Triatoma barberi</i> is an important yet understudied species in Querétaro, Mexico. This study employs ecological niche modeling (ENM) to predict the potential distribution of <i>T. barberi</i> in the region, using occurrence records and environmental variables. The MaxEnt algorithm was used to generate the model, which was validated through AUC and TSS metrics. Results indicate that temperature seasonality and altitude are key drivers of <i>T. barberi</i> distribution, with high-suitability areas found in semi-urban and peri-urban zones. Additionally, six new occurrence records were documented, suggesting a growing urban presence of this species. These findings highlight the need for enhanced vector surveillance and targeted control measures to reduce the risk of Chagas disease transmission.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/15<i>Triatoma barberi</i>maxentChagas diseasevector ecologyQuerétaro |
| spellingShingle | Salvador Zamora-Ledesma Norma Hernández-Camacho Jesús Luna-Cozar Robert W. Jones María Elena Villagrán-Herrera Brenda Camacho-Macías Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records Zoonotic Diseases <i>Triatoma barberi</i> maxent Chagas disease vector ecology Querétaro |
| title | Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records |
| title_full | Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records |
| title_fullStr | Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records |
| title_full_unstemmed | Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records |
| title_short | Urban Triatomines in Central México: Linking Ecological Niche Models with New <i>Triatoma barberi</i> (Reduviidae:Triatominae) Records |
| title_sort | urban triatomines in central mexico linking ecological niche models with new i triatoma barberi i reduviidae triatominae records |
| topic | <i>Triatoma barberi</i> maxent Chagas disease vector ecology Querétaro |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/15 |
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