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Abstract
A variety of parasites and pathogens are responsible for human disease, many of which are vector-borne. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) burden the planet with more than one billion people and many are composed of complex multi-host systems. These complex biological and ecological systems present major challenges in understanding and controlling the transmission of disease. The field of molecular ecology offers a variety of genetic techniques to address issues related to ecological and evolutionary disease transmission, from species identification and diet analysis to landscape movements and speciation events. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies have advanced significantly over the past decade driving costs down, making them cost-effective for many researchers on the frontline of disease research and prevention. One particular vector-borne NTD, Chagas disease, is a parasite Trypanosoma cruzi transmitted by blood feeding vectors in the Triatominae subfamily between a wide range of potential mammalian hosts and humans. Despite widespread control programs, Chagas disease remains a major health threat to millions of Latin American residents. Knowledge of Triatominae microbiomes, population genetics (ecology), and phylogeny (evolution) lags behind that of other insects and vector species. Studies involving these vectors' genetics can help us can gain further insights into the vector biology and ecology that may be applied to disease control and prevention efforts.
In this dissertation, I explore various aspects of triatomine ecology and evolution utilizing different NGS techniques. In the first study I develop a simple, cost-effective method for blood meal detection. In the second, I use Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing to examine the microbial composition of whole-bodies of Rhodnius pallescens, the major Chagas disease vector in Panama. The third project studies the population structure of R. pallescens among five populations in Panama. The last two projects utilize ultraconserved elements to test a bait set for hemipteran phylogenetics and then use them to examine the taxonomic relationships among Chagas disease vectors in the subfamily Triatominae.
In this dissertation, I explore various aspects of triatomine ecology and evolution utilizing different NGS techniques. In the first study I develop a simple, cost-effective method for blood meal detection. In the second, I use Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing to examine the microbial composition of whole-bodies of Rhodnius pallescens, the major Chagas disease vector in Panama. The third project studies the population structure of R. pallescens among five populations in Panama. The last two projects utilize ultraconserved elements to test a bait set for hemipteran phylogenetics and then use them to examine the taxonomic relationships among Chagas disease vectors in the subfamily Triatominae.