Scholar's work in South America helps fight Chagas disease in the U.S.

Texas entomologist Gabriel Hamer spent three months in Argentina learning from scientists who have been working on Chagas disease for years. His research focuses on vector-borne infectious diseases affecting humans, wild, and domestic animals. During his stay, Hamer collaborated with the Eco-Epidemiology Laboratory at the University of Buenos Aires, where scientists have been studying Chagas disease and its insect vectors for decades.

They work with triatomines, also known as kissing bugs, which transmit the parasite that causes Chagas disease.

Hamer's visit to Argentina aimed to expand U.S. scientific understanding of Chagas disease and its vectors. He contributed to a multi-institutional perspective article highlighting the need for public health recognition of Chagas disease in the U.S. and its threat to human and companion animal health. Continued research in South America is crucial because some vector species have developed resistance to insecticides.

Hamer's work on solar-powered traps for capturing kissing bugs has shown promising results. The traps have captured various species of triatomines, including those rarely captured by previous methods, providing valuable specimens for research. These specimens are being analyzed to understand insect dispersion, their association with animals, and their genetic origins.

The findings could help answer long-standing questions in vector biology and inform control strategies, such as using traps as surveillance or control tools. Hamer hopes this experience will lead to future funded research and strengthen collaborations between U.S. and Argentine scientists.