A New Record of the Introduced Species Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Mexico

Here, we report a new record of Triatoma infestans (Klug) in Mexico after 50 years and provide a brief description of the discovery area. Fifty-nine specimens (71.2% adults) of the introduced species were collected from the peridomestic areas of a single house in the port of Manzanillo in the state of Colima, Mexico. Thirty-one specimens (52.5%) were collected from the exterior walls of the house and were apparently attracted to light. The other specimens (47.5%) were associated with chickens. No specimen was infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, the causative agent of Chagas disease, possibly because they were feeding on chickens. We speculate that the introduced species travelled from South America to Mexico via seed shipment in a twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) maritime container. Because Mexican phytosanitary regulations demand only the cargo to be inspected, the triatomines could have escaped notice during inspection. Subsequently, as the cargo was unloaded and the TEU was stored, the triatomines likely flew to and invaded the nearby residential areas. The rediscovery of this domestic vector of T. cruzi in Mexico warrants further investigation owing to the potential risk of transmission to the inhabitants of the study area.

Automated summary

We report a new record of Triatoma infestans in Mexico after 50 years and describe the discovery area. The introduced species was found mainly in the peridomestic areas of a single house in the port of Manzanillo, with 71.2% of the collected specimens being adults. The introduction of these triatomines to Mexico may be due to seed shipment from South America, and they likely invaded nearby residential areas through the storage of the maritime container.