Chagas Disease Surveillance Activities - Seven States, 2017.

Chagas disease, a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, has become a concern in the United States as a result of human emigration from Latin America where Chagas disease is endemic (1). It is estimated that as many as 8 million people living in Mexico, and Central and South America have Chagas disease.* Most cases of Chagas disease in the United States are chronic infections; however, rare cases of acute congenital infections and autochthonous vectorborne transmission have been reported (2).

PREVALENCE AND INTENSITY OF THE SINUS ROUNDWORM ( SKRJABINGYLUS CHITWOODORUM) IN RABIES-NEGATIVE SKUNKS OF TEXAS, USA.

:  Estimates of the distribution and prevalence of the sinus roundworm ( Skrjabingylus chitwoodorum) have been based largely on the inspection of skunk (Mephitidae) skulls showing damage from infections. We examined 595 striped skunks ( Mephitis mephitis) and nine hog-nosed skunks ( Conepatus leuconotus) that had tested negative for rabies by the Texas Department of State Health Services (US) between November 2010 and April 2015 to determine species of Skrjabingylus, prevalence and intensity of infection, and distribution of infection in Texas by county. We expected ecoregions with more precipitation to have higher rates of infection than more-arid ecoregions.

Trypanosome species, including Trypanosoma cruzi, in sylvatic and peridomestic bats of Texas, USA.

In contrast to other mammalian reservoirs, many bat species migrate long-distances and have the potential to introduce exotic pathogens to new areas. Bats have long been associated with blood-borne protozoal trypanosomes of the Schizotrypanum subgenus, which includes the zoonotic parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, agent of Chagas disease. Another member of the subgenus, Trypanosoma dionisii, infects bats of Europe and South America, and genetic similarities between strains from the two continents suggest transcontinental movement of this parasite via bats.

The phylogeography and spatiotemporal spread of south-central skunk rabies virus.

The south-central skunk rabies virus (SCSK) is the most broadly distributed terrestrial viral lineage in North America. Skunk rabies has not been efficiently targeted by oral vaccination campaigns and represents a natural system of pathogen invasion, yielding insights to rabies emergence. In the present study we reconstructed spatiotemporal spread of SCSK in the whole territory of its circulation using a combination of Bayesian methods.

Epidemiology of rabies in bats in Texas (2001-2010).

Objective: To obtain epidemiological information on rabies in bats in Texas.

Design: Epidemiological study.

Sample: Laboratory reports of bats that had been submitted for rabies testing in Texas from 2001 through 2010.

Bat rabies, Texas, 1996-2000.

Bats submitted to the Texas Department of Health (1996-2000) were speciated and tested for rabies virus antigen by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. Antigenic analysis of rabies virus-positive specimens was performed with monoclonal antibodies against the nucleoprotein of the virus; atypical or unexpected results were confirmed by genetic analysis of nucleoprotein sequence.