Co-circulation of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. in Northwestern Colombia, a major migratory corridor

Cantillo-Barraza O.; Pabón A.; Valdivia H.O.; Posada L.; Machado S.; Velásquez-Ortiz N.; Granada Y.; Sanchez J.F.; Triana O.; Vasquez G.M.; Tobón-Castaño A. · PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (2026) · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014496

Resumen

Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. are the causative agents of Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis, respectively. These flagellates have complex transmission cycles involving a variety of mammal hosts, some of which may serve as potential reservoirs for both parasites. The region of Urabá, located in northwestern Colombia, is the most widely used migratory route in Latin America where the largest migration phenomenon in the last 15 years has occurred. In this study, we evaluated the co-circulation and co-infections with T. cruzi and Leishmania spp. in the municipalities of Apartadó, Turbo, Necoclí and San Pedro de Urabá using a One Health approach. Integrated efforts included (i) a cross-sectional serological study to assess human infection, (ii) an entomological survey to assess the presence and natural infection of vectors, and (iii) an evaluation of synanthropic mammal infection by both parasites using molecular tools. Our study found recent T. cruzi transmission in Turbo and Necoclí, with an infection frequency of 2.42% (95% CI: 1.28–3.56), and identified 11 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, with two individuals coinfected with both pathogens. We collected 57 triatomine bugs (Rhodnius pallescens) and found that 68.4% (n = 39) were infected with T. cruzi. In addition, we collected 2,334 sand flies, with Pressatia dysponeta as the most abundant species (79.9%), and detected natural Leishmania spp. infection in Lutzomyia gomezi (n = 3), Psychodopygus panamensis (n = 1) and Nyssomyia trapidoi (n = 1). Finally, Didelphis marsupialis (n = 21) was the most frequently captured mammal; 40,9% tested positive for T. cruzi, 27,3% for Leishmania spp., and one specimen was positive for both pathogens. This study highlights the active transmission and co-circulation of T. cruzi and Leishmania spp. parasites in Urabá, demonstrating not only the high risk for the local population but also for migrants traversing this area, raising concerns about the potential spread of these parasites to other regions of the continent. This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ public domain dedication.