Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease

Introduction: Triatomines are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Currently, there is no vaccine against this disease. Thus, control of the insect vector population is the main strategy available to reduce the number of cases. Triatomines are considered obligate he...

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Main Authors: Mariana C. Costa, Carlos J. C. Moreira, Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira, José Juberg, Daniele Pereira de Castro, Fernando Ariel Genta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1360255/full
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author Mariana C. Costa
Carlos J. C. Moreira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
José Juberg
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Fernando Ariel Genta
Fernando Ariel Genta
author_facet Mariana C. Costa
Carlos J. C. Moreira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
José Juberg
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Fernando Ariel Genta
Fernando Ariel Genta
author_sort Mariana C. Costa
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Triatomines are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Currently, there is no vaccine against this disease. Thus, control of the insect vector population is the main strategy available to reduce the number of cases. Triatomines are considered obligate hematophagous, but different alternative feeding behaviors were described, such as haemolymphagy or plant feeding.Methods: To determine the preference for sugar feeding in nymphs and adults of Rhodnius prolixus, the insects were exposed a piece of cotton containing bromophenol blue plus sucrose. In addition, we offered several sugars for different species of triatomines, and tested sugar meals as a route of delivery of insecticides in first-instar nymphs of R. prolixus. The effect of sugar feeding on the physiology of these different species of triatomines was recorded.Results: First instar nymphs ingested sucrose more strongly than other stages, and showed high mortality rates. In different species of triatomines, sucrose induced an ingestion, but engorgement varied according to the species. R. prolixus nymphs showed an indiscriminate intake of various sugars, with very different physiological effects. Furthermore, ingesting different combinations of insecticides + sugar significantly reduced insect survival.Discussion: In summary, we described for the first-time sugar feeding as a widespread behavior in several species of triatomines, and the possibility of the use of toxic sugar baits for the control of these vectors. The knowledge of feeding behavior in these insects can be fundamental for the development of new strategies to control Chagas disease.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-9cb3ae546eb842bcbc395a4e19a2d2e52025-08-20T02:17:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2024-10-011510.3389/fphys.2024.13602551360255Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas diseaseMariana C. Costa0Carlos J. C. Moreira1Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira2Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira3José Juberg4Daniele Pereira de Castro5Daniele Pereira de Castro6Fernando Ariel Genta7Fernando Ariel Genta8Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInstituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInstituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInstituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilIntroduction: Triatomines are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Currently, there is no vaccine against this disease. Thus, control of the insect vector population is the main strategy available to reduce the number of cases. Triatomines are considered obligate hematophagous, but different alternative feeding behaviors were described, such as haemolymphagy or plant feeding.Methods: To determine the preference for sugar feeding in nymphs and adults of Rhodnius prolixus, the insects were exposed a piece of cotton containing bromophenol blue plus sucrose. In addition, we offered several sugars for different species of triatomines, and tested sugar meals as a route of delivery of insecticides in first-instar nymphs of R. prolixus. The effect of sugar feeding on the physiology of these different species of triatomines was recorded.Results: First instar nymphs ingested sucrose more strongly than other stages, and showed high mortality rates. In different species of triatomines, sucrose induced an ingestion, but engorgement varied according to the species. R. prolixus nymphs showed an indiscriminate intake of various sugars, with very different physiological effects. Furthermore, ingesting different combinations of insecticides + sugar significantly reduced insect survival.Discussion: In summary, we described for the first-time sugar feeding as a widespread behavior in several species of triatomines, and the possibility of the use of toxic sugar baits for the control of these vectors. The knowledge of feeding behavior in these insects can be fundamental for the development of new strategies to control Chagas disease.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1360255/fulltriatominesugar feedingChagas diseaseattractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB)Rhodnius prolixus
spellingShingle Mariana C. Costa
Carlos J. C. Moreira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
José Juberg
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Daniele Pereira de Castro
Fernando Ariel Genta
Fernando Ariel Genta
Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
Frontiers in Physiology
triatomine
sugar feeding
Chagas disease
attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB)
Rhodnius prolixus
title Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
title_full Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
title_fullStr Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
title_full_unstemmed Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
title_short Sugar feeding in triatomines: a new perspective for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease
title_sort sugar feeding in triatomines a new perspective for controlling the transmission of chagas disease
topic triatomine
sugar feeding
Chagas disease
attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB)
Rhodnius prolixus
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1360255/full
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