Kissing bug kill trap for control of Trypanosoma cruzi infection

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Project Summary Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by triatomine ‘kissing bug’ insects. An estimated 6 million people are infected worldwide, including 240,000 to 350,000 people in the U.S., and WHO identifies Chagas disease as one of four Neglected Tropical Diseases that does not have a cost-effective control tool. Disease control relies heavily on reducing insect vectors although very few programs have allowed for sustainable solutions that prevent spill-over of kissing bugs from sylvatic habitats to re-colonize the domestic environment. This study will develop a kissing bug kill trap which autonomously captures, kills, and preserves the insect vectors of T. cruzi. Building on two years of field trials testing prior prototypes, this project will conduct behavioral bioassays with captive kissing bugs to identify LED light wavelengths with maximum attraction. We will also conduct two years of field experiments evaluating different LED light and reflective and fluorescing trap materials which will synergistically optimize the capture of kissing bugs while minimizing non-target bycatch. These field studies will be in Texas and Guatemala to ensure trap efficacy for multiple species of kissing bugs that are primary vectors in the Americas. The development of this standardized tool will allow for future large-scale surveillance to quantify spatio-temporal variation in kissing bugs. This tool that captures and kills dispersing adult kissing bugs will also permit future studies integrating this mass-trapping approach along with existing vector control tools to reduce human risk of exposure to T. cruzi.