Climate change and Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in North and central America

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease in humans. Transmission of T cruzi by triatomine vectors is dependent on diverse environmental and socioeconomic factors. Climate change, which is disrupting patterns of human habitation and land use, can affect the epidemiology of Chagas disease by influencing the distribution of vector and host species. We conducted a review using triatomine distribution as a proxy for T cruzi transmission in North America (Canada, Mexico, and the USA) and central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama) and investigated the association of T cruzi transmission with climate change, identifying 12 relevant studies. Most studies (n=9) modelled the effect of the scenario of climate change on the distribution of relevant vector species and found that global warming could sometimes favour and sometimes hinder triatomine distribution. There is a need for more research in parasite biology and social sciences to further understand how climate change and socioeconomic factors can affect the epidemiology of this neglected tropical disease.