Triatoma Virus

The positive single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus triatoma virus (TrV) belongs to the Dicistroviridae family in the Picornavirales order. It is a lethal pathogen of the bloodsucking insect Triatoma infestans and of other insect species belonging to the Triatominae subfamily. These insects are the main vectors for the transmission of the protozoon Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis), a neglected tropical disease endemic in Latin America. Thus, TrV has been proposed to be a biological control agent that could be used to prevent the spread of this pathogen