Mapping the niche of Chagas parasite

All 31 species of assassin bug (subfamily Triatominae) found in Mexico are known carriers of Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease in humans. In this study, researchers used occurrence data from sources including GBIF to model the 19 most abundant triatomine species as well as T. cruzi. The results show the potential for the parasite to occur in 91.2 per cent of Mexico, exposing almost 100 million Mexicans to at least one of the vector species. Based on a parasite transmission model, they conclude that human communities in nine out of 32 states in Mexico are at risk of infection. As many as 2 million Mexicans are currently infected, and the study suggests that without immediate actions on public health, those numbers will only rise.