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Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas disease, their reservoirs and vectors have existed in nature for millions of years. The primitive trypanosomes were monogenetic parasites of insects that were not bloodsuckers. When these insects acquired the habit of blood sucking, the trypanosomes underwent morphological and functional changes such that they developed undulating membranes and flagella so that they could circulate in the blood of vertebrates (Hoare, 1972). Although triatomines have been known since the XVI century (Lent & Wigodzinsky, 1979) and human infection by T. cruzi is known in mummies from 4.000 up to 9.000 years of age (Guhl, et al., 1999; Afderheide, et al., 2004), Chagas disease became established as a zoonosis over the last two to three centuries, after triatomines adaptation to human dwellings due to anthropic actions with deforestation and removal of the wild animals, during the agriculture and livestock cycles.

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2012-02-27   |   341 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 29 Núm.5. Octubre 2009 Pags. 25-27 Biomédica 2009; 29(Supl. 1)