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. 2022 Jun;46(2):323-327.
doi: 10.1007/s12639-021-01459-x. Epub 2021 Nov 17.

Molecular diagnosis of trypanosomatids in Didelphis marsupialis from Los Montes de María: a first report of Trypanosoma rangeli from Colombian Caribbean region

Marlon Mauricio Ardila  1   2 , Leidi Herrera  3 , Wendy Zabala-Monterroza  4 , Alexander Bedoya-Polo  4 , Daisy Lozano-Arias  2 , Roberto García-Alzate  5 , Alveiro Pérez-Doria  4
Affiliations

Molecular diagnosis of trypanosomatids in Didelphis marsupialis from Los Montes de María: a first report of Trypanosoma rangeli from Colombian Caribbean region

Marlon Mauricio Ardila et al. J Parasit Dis. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Didelphis marsupialis is a primary reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of American Trypanosomiasis-AT or Chagas Disease-CD, in America. Some findings of Trypanosoma rangeli have been recorded in this mammal, in sympatry with T. cruzi. In Los Montes de María, Bolívar, Colombian Caribbean, triatomine insects and potential parasite host has been registered, but little is known about the relationship between these parasites and D. marsupialis. We investigated the natural trypanosomatids infection rate in D. marsupialis, applying a parasitological and molecular diagnosis. Twenty D. marsupialis was investigated between 2018 and 2019 using 21 Tomahawk® traps placed on the sylvatic/domestic corridors. Blood was drawn by cardiopuncture after sedation. An aliquot of blood samples was cultured in Novy, Nicolle, McNeal/Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium at 24 °C/60 days for the detection of motile trypomastigotes. Parasite DNA was obtained by salting out methods from positive blood cultures. Trypanosomatids diagnosis was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction-sequencing of V7V8 region of 18S ribosomal RNA (18S-rRNA) gene. Amplicons were sequenced, and consensus sequences were aligned with reference sequences from GenBank. Four isolates corresponded to T. rangeli (20%) and one to T. cruzi (5%). The natural infection of D. marsupialis by T. rangeli and T. cruzi constitutes the first record of these parasites in didelphids in Los Montes de María and the first record of T. rangeli in this marsupial, in the Colombian Caribbean.

Keywords: Colombian Caribbean; Didelphis marsupialis; PCR; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma rangeli.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest and disclose no financial relationship with people or organizations that could bias this work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Agarose gel electrophoresis (1.5%–80 V) of the amplification products of DNA for trypanosomatids in blood culture NNN/RPMI of Didelphis marsupialis collected in rural area of El Carmen de Bolívar (Bolívar-Colombia). Amplification of V7V8 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA 18S gene (SSU-rRNA) for trypanosomatids. M: Molecular size marker (100–1,500 bp Promega®). Lane 1–7: Total DNA samples extracted from NNN/RPMI medium positive for trypanosomatids from blood of D. marsupialis. TR: Positive control (Trypanosoma rangeli), C–: Negative control
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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