The objective of this study is to report on the colonization of palm trees by Rhodnius neglectus, its invasion in an urban area, in Araçatuba - São Paulo, and the control and surveillance measures that have been put in place. Domiciliary triatomine searches occurred in apartments upon the inhabitants' notification. The collected insects were identified and examined for natural infection and food sources with a precipitin test. To search the palm trees, tarps were used to cover the floor, and a “Munck” truck equipped with a tree-pruning device was utilized. Chemical control was performed with the utilization of a manual compression. In 2009, 81 specimens of Rhodnius neglectus were collected from the domiciles by the population. The precipitin test revealed a presence of human blood in 2.7% of the samples. Entomological studies were carried out in these domiciles and in those located within a radius of 200 meters. The search performed in the palm trees resulted in the capture of 882 specimens of triatomines, negative for tripanosomatids. Mechanical and chemical controls were carried out. New searches conducted in the palm trees in the same year resulted in the capture of six specimens. The mechanical and chemical controls of the palm trees, together with the population's work, proved to be effective, therefore preventing these insects' colonization of the city's domiciles.

WANDERLEY, D. M. V. et al. Aspectos epidemiológicos da malária no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, 1983a 1992. Rev. Saúde Publica, 28: 192-7, 1994. São apresentados aspectos epidemiológicos da malária no Estado de São Paulo, baseados nas notificações de casos do período de 1983 a 1992. Foram confirmados 20.200 casos, nos quais em 65,7% foi diagnosticado Plasmodium vivax (P.v.) e em 27,3% P.falciparum (P.f.), sem diferença entre os anos. Também não se constataram diferenças na distribuição quanto ao sexo (85,4% masculino) e faixa etária (63,6% com idade entre 20 e 39 anos). As investigações epidemiológicas demonstraram que em 2,0% a transmissão ocorreu no próprio Estado, em duas áreas bem distintas: área coberta por Mata Atlântica, onde a malária pode ser considerada endêmica, com predomínio de P.v. com baixas parasitemias e onde estão presentes anofelinos do subgênero Kerteszia e área correspondente ao Planalto Paulista, onde a presença de anofelinos do subgênero Nyssorhynchus, associada à circulação de pacientes com malária importada, tem sido responsabilizada por focos de P.v. e P.f.. Constatou-se que 91,6% dos casos procederam de outras regiões, sendo que destes 89,0% se originaram nos Estados de Rondônia, Mato Grosso e Pará. Verificou-se no decênio o aumento progressivo de casos importados de Mato Grosso, correspondendo a 51,7%, em 1992. Malária induzida por transfusão de sangue ou pelo uso de seringas e agulhas contaminados entre usuários de drogas totalizou 27 e 58 casos, respectivamente. A letalidade observada foi de 5,0/1.000 doentes e esteve associada à infecção por P.f. em primo-infectados com diagnóstico tardio. O estudo do conjunto dessas informações acrescenta subsídios para as ações de vigilância epidemiológica da malária.Descritores: Malária, epidemiologia. Vigilância epidemiológica.

RESUMO ABSTRACTThe control of the vectors of Chagas' disease in the State of Sao Paulo are discussed, mainly those activities that led to the elimination of Triatoma infestans. Secondary factors that helped the control such as rural exodus are also analyzed. The article shows that since 1965 the control became a campaign with different phases due to the epidemiological situation, the acquired knowledge and the entomological surveillance. After 25 years of work, the elimination of all the focus of Triatoma infestans was finally reached and the campaign was ended. However, due to the possibility of reintroduction of the vector in rural areas by passive transportation besides the presence of secondary vectors (Triatoma sordida and Panstrongylus megistus) in several localities, the vector control activities were not interrupted and the surveillance is continuous. INTRODUÇÃOEspécie alóctone, Triatoma infestans foi introduzido em terras paulistas, procedente do sul do país, provavelmente no decorrer do século XVIII, através dos tropeiros que percorriam o Caminho dos Muares, via esta que se alongava do Rio Grande do Sul até Sorocaba. Sua presença no Estado de São Paulo tomou vulto quando, no início do século passado, ocorreu maciço deslocamento da fronteira agrícola em direção ao oeste, em busca das terras virgens necessárias ao plantio do café 1 . Mas foi somente após a chegada dos europeus que essa dispersão se intensificou acompanhando a penetração e ocupação populacional, invadindo as habitações nos espaços abertos para atendimento das necessidades do plantio e criação de animais. Por possuir caráter mesotérmico, ou seja, preferência por ambientes áridos ou semiúmidos, T. infestans se adaptou bem aos espaços artificialmente abertos no planalto paulista, sobretudo, quando e onde predominavam as casas de pau-apique e/ou barro em péssimas condições de habitabilidade 2 .Foi somente no decorrer da década dos anos quarenta que a problemática da doença de Chagas ganhou realmente força para buscar solução satisfatória. No Estado de São Paulo, o alarme levantado pela publicação de diversos trabalhos científicos 3-6 , mostrando a gravidade da situação então vigente, aliado a vontade política em recuperar a lavoura paulista da ruína financeira, consequente da queda do café no mercado internacional nos anos 30, foram os principais fatores que levaram o Governo e Assembléia estadual a delegar ao Serviço de Profilaxia da Malária (SPM) a responsabilidade de combater a endemia (lei estadual n o 1317 de 04/12/1951) 7 .

Resumo Objetivo

The purpose of our investigation was to analyze the persistence, in the State of São Paulo, of domiciliary units highly infested with Chagas disease triatomine vectors. Comprehensive epidemiologic information collected from 1990 to 1999 in the State of S o Paulo was retrieved from database files. Consistently high infestation rates were found in 43 localities distributed among 21 municipalities in the Ara atuba region. Captures produced predominantly peridomiciliary Triatoma sordida specimens, mostly adult females and fifth-instar nymphs, 94.6% of which containing ingesta negative for human blood. The houses, mostly inhabited (87.4%), were located near the residual woodland savanna in 64.3% of the localities. Poultry coops were found in association with 97.6% of all domiciliary units. Interestingly, in all the houses with persistent infestation, the inhabitants paid no evident attention to hygiene Lack of timely infestation control associated with the biological characteristics of the reduviid species involved, along with the conditions prevailing around the dwellings, favor the repeated invasion and consequent maintenance of colonization by triatomines.

This study aims to analyze the effect of domiciliary infestation by triatomine bugs on the degree to which inhabitants are aware of potential vector transmission of Chagas disease. Such recently constructed dwellings comprise housing groups classified as settlements and re-settlements, selected respectively in the municipalities of Euclides da Cunha Paulista and Paulicéia, São Paulo State, Brazil. Both municipalities are under the jurisdiction of the Presidente Prudente Health Administrative Region. Of the 319 residents, some 100 (76.0% of whom were re-settlement residents) knew about triatomine bugs. Housing units infested with triatomines were inhabited by 93 people. In 79.2% of the infested houses, 26.8% of the residents knew about Chagas disease and its vectors, but in 50.0% of the households, some people did not know what to do in case of triatomine infestation. Population samples from settlements and re-settlements, regardless of sex, age, and the State of origin, showed no difference in attitudes towards the prevention of Chagas disease or knowledge of the disease vector.

This note reports on occurrences of triatomine species in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, registered between 1988 and 2017. Records of triatomines captured in Sao Paulo are based on specimens received spontaneously from Health Surveillance Centers, Health Centers and Zoonosis Control Centers in the city as well as from citizens. Species were identified morphologically at the Public Health Entomology Laboratory, Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, where the triatomines, which are vectors of Chagas disease, were tested for Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The first reported occurrence of triatomine bugs in urban Sao Paulo was in 1988. The specimen, which was captured in Jardim Sao Luiz district, was from the genus Panstrongylus and was registered as Panstrongylus sp. but was not sexed. Since this first recorded occurrence, the following species have been found in the city: Panstrongylus geniculatus (2 occurrences), P. megistus (15 occurrences), Triatoma infestans (1 occurrence) and T. sordida (3 occurrences). In this paper, the importance of reporting occurrences of triatomine bugs in the city of Sao Paulo, one of the largest metropolis in the world, is discussed with an emphasis on P. megistus. The occurrences discussed here indicate the importance of entomological surveillance for these vectors even in urban centers although the possibility of vector transmission of Chagas disease in these centers is very low.

INTRODUCTION: This communication reports the colonization of Panstrongylus megistus in an urban area of the municipality of Taboão da Serra in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. METHODS: After receiving a notification from the population, entomological research comprising active search, collection, identification, and examination of triatomines was conducted. Wild animals were captured and examined. RESULTS: A colony of triatomines was found to be associated with dogs in the backyard of the property. CONCLUSIONS: The colonization of P. megistus shows the potential for their occupation of artificial ecotopes, which may pose a risk to the human population.