Occurrence and variability of Panstrongylus lutzi in the State of Ceará, Brazil

Abstract

Panstrongylus lutzi is generally restricted to the "caatinga" areas of north-eastern Brazil. Adult insects are frequently found in local houses, but colonies have not previously been registered in the statistics of the Control Programme of Chagas Disease. In Ceará State, our study revealed increasing occurrence of this species, usually with high infection rates for Trypanosoma cruzi, and always represented by adults that invaded the artificial environment. We also found nymphs in the peridomicile and inside the houses. In silvatic habitats we collected two adult females from hollow tree trunks, which may represent an alternative natural ecotope for the species in this state. Panstrongylus lutzi entomological collections from Sobral and Crateús, studied by morphology and morphometrics, showed great variability; those from Crateús were larger smaller and paler in colour, with individuals showing genital features consistent with those described for Panstrongylus lutzi or Panstrongylus sherlocki, whereas those from Sobral were darker and with genitalia compatible with P. sherlocki, nevertheless, all were considered to be Panstrongylus lutzi.

Insect vectors of Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) in Northeastern Brazil

“…Even though the infection rate of T. brasiliensis was relatively low (0.8%) in the present study, Sarquis et al 17 reported an infection rate of 15.3% for the species, and many other studies have reported T. brasiliensis as the most frequently collected and infected species 29,30 . Therefore, T. brasiliensis likely plays an important role in the transmission of Chagas disease in the northeast region and, especially, in the State of Ceará.…”

Surveillance of Chagas disease vectors in Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil

“…brasiliensis and T. pseudomaculata have become particularly important since they have been found widely infesting human dwellings in Northeast Brazil15. Both are found naturally infected by T. cruzi 24 , but with a significantly low natural infection rate, as observed in this study. Although low, the infection rates of T. brasiliensis by T. cruzi tend to be greater than observed in the case of T. pseudomaculata, which can be related to the great diversity of food resources and to the greater ability of T. brasiliensis to ingest blood in relation to T. pseudomaculata, making this one less able to transmit T. cruzi 16 .…”

Characteristics of Triatomine infestation and natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

“…Its domiciliation has occurred in the States of Ceará and Pernambuco (62) (63) . P. lutzi is found in hollow Auxemma oncocalyx trunks in Ceará (64) and in armadillo burrows in the semiarid Caatinga in Bahia (59) . However, the P. lutzi natural habitat was not identifi ed despite extensive searching in the wild environment of the Seridó Ecological Station where most specimens were captured; thus, further studies are required (15) (51) .…”