Review
Parasite-mediated interactions within the insect vector: Trypanosoma rangeli strategies
1 Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
2 Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM, CNPq), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
3 Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Parasites & Vectors 2012, 5:105 doi:10.1186/1756-3305-5-105
Published: 30 May 2012Abstract
Trypanosoma rangeli is a protozoan that is non-pathogenic for humans and other mammals but causes pathology in the genus Rhodnius. T. rangeli and R. prolixus is an excellent model for studying the parasite-vector interaction, but its cycle in invertebrates remains unclear. The vector becomes infected on ingesting blood containing parasites, which subsequently develop in the gut, hemolymph and salivary glands producing short and large epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes, which are the infective forms. The importance of the T. rangeli cycle is the flagellate penetration into the gut cells and invasion of the salivary glands. The establishment of the parasite depends on the alteration of some vector defense mechanisms. Herein, we present our understanding of T. rangeli infection on the vector physiology, including gut and salivary gland invasions, hemolymph reactions and behavior alteration.
