Insight on climate and social participatory research for integral management of vector-borne zoonosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. in the Bolivian Gran Chaco

Transmision risk of Zoonotic American Tripanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and Leishmaniasis in the Gran Chaco of Bolivia is linked to climate change, and also to the behaviour and social nature of their human hosts, domestic reservoirs and vector populations. Both Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are considered to be in an emergency and/or re-emergence situation in various parts of the world. In the Bolivian Chaco region, Chagas disease is highly endemic while leishmaniasis outbreaks have been very recently described, including visceral leishmaniasis cases. In close coordination with social actors, local authorities and research centres, the project will deploy the team experience in community engagement and co-creation in order to design, implement and evaluate a strategy to meet community needs related with prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Their climatic drivers of transmission in the area will be investigated by a range of complimentary modelling techniques, considering vector ecology and human disease outcomes. For that, we will prospectively assess the presence of Chagas and leishmaniasis vectors in human dwellings and peridomestic environments, and domestic reservoirs (dogs). Triatomine samples will be used for a detailed population genomic analysis in order to evaluate and identify management-units of Triatoma infestans, main vector of Chagas disease in Bolivia, and sand flies samples will be analysed for the first time to obtain data on their genetic population.