Field assessment of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and host survival in the native rodent Octodon degus

Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by the flagellated parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomine insects to several mammalian species acting as reservoir hosts. In the present study, we assess T. cruzi-prevalence, survivorship and T. cruzi-infection rate of the endemic rodent Octodon degus from a hyper-endemic area of Chagas disease in Chile. Parasite detection is performed by PCR assays on blood samples of individuals captured in austral summer of 2010, and on non-infected individuals recaptured in 2011 as well as on new captures. Results show a high infection level in this species (up to 70%). Infected O. degus have the same chance of surviving to the next reproductive season as uninfected individuals, irrespective of sex. We suggest that O. degus, an abundant long-lived rodent with high dispersal capability, could be considered an important native reservoir of T. cruzi in the wild transmission cycle of Chagas disease in Chile.