Abstract: Thasus gigas is a species of the Coreidae family. It lives in the mesquite (Prosopis spp.), where it completes its biological cycle. It is consumed for supposed therapeutic and nutritional effects, which are under investigation, although they could represent health risks derived from the presence of bacteria in its intestinal tract.
Aim: To determine the microbiota of medical importance for humans associated with this insect, since the limitation of knowledge determines that the risk conditions are largely unknown.
Methodology: An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out during the years 2022-2023 in Tezontepec de Aldama in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. Eighty insects were collected and transported to the Molecular Microbiology and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory of the Autonomous University of Guerrero, where they were morphologically identified with the help of a stereoscopic microscope and taxonomic keys. Thirty specimens of Thasus gigas were selected, with the largest intestinal content visible, to be analyzed using microbiological techniques.
Results: The analysis showed growth of the following bacteria: Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter spp, Pasteurella stomatis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium spp, Enterococcus faecalis, and the fungus Candida albicans, all with more than >100,000 CFU (Colony Forming Units).
Conclusion: The ingestion of Thasus gigas represents a risk to human health due to the microbiota detected.
