This study showed different frequencies of intestinal parasitosis (giardiasis and helminthiasis) among children in day-care centers and junior and high schools (public and private). The survey involved 199 individuals, 96 belonging to public schools and 103 to private institutions. The frequency of giardiasis in public institutions was shown to be greater than in private institutions. Regarding helminthiasis, frequencies were similar among day-care centers, but greater for public schools in comparison to private institutions. When levels of socio-economic status, education, basic sanitary conditions and hygiene were analyzed as determinants of intestinal parasitosis, it became evident that greater frequency of giardiasis and helminthiasis occurred among children from low-income families and those whose parents had low levels of education. The source of vegetables was also a significant factor in determining such parasitosis.

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ABSTRACT. This study aimed to evaluate fitness components of Zaprionus indianus Gupta, 1970, a species recently introduced in Brazil and currently in process of colonization. Longevity, productivity, developmental speed and viability of flies sampled from a population from Mirassol (state of São Paulo, Brazil) were evaluated. Longevity was higher than that of some Indian populations and productivity was similar or higher than in other Drosophilidae. Time of development, one of the main fitness components for competition, was very similar to the values scored in Drosophila sturtevanti Duda, 1927, a species that occurs in high frequencies in the same area as Z. indianus. These data might contribute further for understanding the colonization success of this newcomer species in South America.KEYWORDS. Fitness components, productivity, viability, time of development, Zaprionus. (CHASSAGNARD & TSACAS, 1993;CHASSAGNARD, 1996) and Anaprionus, with 12 species from Australia and Southeastern Asia (TSACAS & CHASSAGNARD, 1990;GUPTA & GUPTA, 1991). Zaprionus indianus seems to be the unique species of Zaprionus subgenus that is spreading throughout the tropical regions, probably due to the intensification of the world fruit commerce (VILELA et al., 2001). This species occurs throughout Africa, India and Saudi Arabia, as well as in islands of the Indian Ocean (Comores, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and Réunion) and of the Atlantic Ocean (Canary and Saint Helena) (CHASSAGNARD & KRAAIJEVELD, 1991;CHASSAGNARD & TSACAS, 1993). In Africa, it has been found in 74 species of 31 botanical families; among them, several are native of the American continent (avocado, pineapple, guava and papaya) or have been here introduced (carambola, banana, citrus, mango and fig) (LACHAISE & TSACAS, 1983).The occurrence of Z. indianus in South America was first reported in Brazil (VILELA, 1999) and then in Uruguay (GOÑI et al., 2001). It has been suggested that this species may have been introduced in Brazil by airplane transportation from African or Asian countries to the city of São Paulo, possibly in meals (fruits for instance) offered to passengers (VILELA, 1999;TIDON et al., 2003). Zaprionus indianus has been found in all regions of Brazil (CASTRO & VALENTE, 2001;VILELA, 1999;VILELA et al., 2001;TIDON et al., 2003).Although Z. indianus has not been considered as a pest in the Afrotropical region, it seems to be reaching the pest status in the fig main producer areas of the state of São Paulo (Brazil). In 1999, 50% of the fig crops were lost due to oviposition of these flies (VILELA et al., 2001). Since Z. indianus has also been found in other tropical fruits, such as citrus, persimmon, guava, jambul and acerola (VILELA et al., 2001), it is possible that this species will become invasive in the culture of these agricultural products, thus causing damages to regional economies.Little information about Z. indianus reproductive biology is found in the literature. Therefore, the quantification of fitness components in laboratory is an important t...

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This study analyzes the pre-adult interactions of Zaprionus indianus, a recently-introduced species in Brazil, with two others Drosophilidae under laboratory conditions. The effects of larval residues on the viability and on the developmental time of Z. indianus, Drosophila simulans and D. sturtevanti were used to evaluate pre-adult competitive interactions, conditioning the culture medium with larval residues. Pre-adult interactions between Z. indianus, D. sturtevanti and D. simulans may affect their relative abundance over time, since the viability of Z. indianus was negatively affected by residues of D. sturtevanti, and its residues reduced the viability of D. simulans and the developmental time of both D. simulans and D. sturtevanti.

The occurrence of hybrid dysgenesis was investigated in Drosophila sturtevanti Duda, 1927 using diagnostic crosses similar to those used for induction of dysgenics traits in D. melanogaster. Reciprocal test crosses were made, at 27° C, between an old laboratory strain of D. sturtevanti (COL, from Colombia), assumed to be an M'-like strain, and eight freshly collected strains from several natural populations. The gonadal dysgenesis indices were under 10% in most of crosses, except in hybrids of COL with I27, a strain from Minas Gerais (Brazil), in which the index values were moderate in both directions of crosses (25.71 and 12.87). The smallest productivity was also observed in hybrids of females COL mated to I27 males. No causal relationship between the observed gonadal dysgenesis and mobilization of P element or another transposable element could be effectively established

The aim of this report was to detect full-sized P element sequences in eight strains of Drosophila sturtevanti populations from distant geographic regions and to assess the structural geographic variation among P element sequences. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of a putative complete P element in all strains. Southern blot analysis indicated bands shared by all strains, and bands restricted to geographically related strains. Parsimony analysis corroborated the hybridization pattern that reflected the geographic relationships.

We analyzed the distribution of the Bari-I transposable element in Drosophila melanogaster (IN(1)AB), its sibling species Drosophila simulans (C167.4) and in eight hybrid strains derived from initial crosses involving D. simulans females and D. melanogaster males of the above cited strains as well as in Brazilian populations of these species. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data showed the presence of the Bari-I element among species populations and hybrid strains. Hybridization with a 703 bp probe homologous to the Bari-I sequence showed that the number of Bari-I copies in D. melanogaster IN(1)AB was higher than in D. simulans C167.4 strains. Hybrid strains presented Bari-I sequences related to both parental species. In addition some strains displayed a Bari-I sequence that came from D. melanogaster, suggesting introgression of D. melanogaster genetic material in the background of D. simulans. In contrast, some hybrids showed deletions of D. simulans Bari-I sequences.