From cracks in walls to cracks in systems: Chagas disease and the complex ecology of vector-borne transmission

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomine bugs, remains a pressing public health issue across the Americas. At the heart of transmission lies Triatoma infestans, a domestic vector whose ecology is deeply entangled with human-built environments, animal reservoirs, and shifting rural and periurban landscapes. This talk uses Chagas disease as a case study to explore how the “cracks in walls” that harbor triatomines reflect broader structural and ecological “cracks” that sustain transmission: gaps in housing quality, public health access, vector surveillance, and research equity. Drawing on field studies in the Gran Chaco region of Argentina, I will examine the socio-ecological factors that shape infestation risk and T. cruzi transmission. These include vector behavior and habitat use, domestic animal presence, human mobility, and the spatial configuration of peridomestic environments. I will also highlight the value of integrating entomological data with participatory research, spatial modeling, and systems thinking to inform more effective and context-sensitive vector control strategies. By focusing on the ecology of a highly adapted insect vector, this presentation underscores how entomological insights are critical for addressing complex disease systems, particularly those rooted in chronic social and environmental inequities.