Urban vectors of Chagas disease in the American continent: A systematic review of epidemiological surveys
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011003
- PMID
- 36516183
- PMCID
- PMC9797073
- OpenAlex
- W4311472041
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Urban Chagas disease represents an emerging challenge that adds complexity to disease control due to distinct characteristics of urban lifestyles and agglomerations. The shift from rural to urban vector transmission requires adaptation of existing vector control programs.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This systematic review examined the epidemiological evidence for triatomine vector occurrence and colonization in urban settings across the Americas.
Study design
The authors conducted a systematic review of scientific reports retrieved from PubMed and LILACS databases using search criteria based on triatomine genera of epidemiological importance and Chagas disease in urban contexts.
Population and setting
The review covered urban dwellings across cities of all sizes (small, medium, large, and megalopolises) spanning from Argentina to the United States in the American continent.
Main findings
Reports of vectors in urban dwellings increased over the last three decades. Eighteen triatomine species were collected inside urban dwellings, predominantly from the genera Triatoma and Panstrongylus, with parasite infection detected in 88.8% (16/18) of these species. Infestation occurred across all city types throughout the geographic range studied.
Public-health relevance
Urban Chagas disease represents an emerging challenge that adds complexity to disease control due to distinct characteristics of urban lifestyles and agglomerations. The shift from rural to urban vector transmission requires adaptation of existing vector control programs.
Important limitations
This summary relies solely on the supplied abstract and bibliographic metadata. The full article would be required to assess methodological limitations, heterogeneity of included studies, completeness of geographic coverage, and risk-of-bias evaluation inherent to systematic reviews.
GIDS interpretation
This systematic review provides context for understanding triatomine vector presence in urban environments across the Americas. The classification links to climate/environment and transmission dynamics reflect the ecological and epidemiological scope of urban vector colonization described in the review.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 5 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.