Description of the feeding preferences of triatominae in the Chagas disease surveillance study for the State of Pernambuco, Brazil (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Abstract

Introduction: Studying the feeding preferences of triatomines is an important entomological surveillance tool, since continuous surveillance of the disease is necessary. Methods: The precipitin reaction was used to describe the feeding preferences of triatomines along with their natural infection by flagellates similar to Tyrpanosoma cruzi. Six hundred eighty-seven insects were examined, including Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata, and Panstrongylus lutzi. Results: Sixty-nine (10%) of 687 triatomines examined tested positive for flagellates similar to T. cruzi, and 8 (1.2%) of these fed on human blood. Conclusions: This study found potential transmitters of Chagas disease both inside and outside the domiciliar environment.

Pesquisa entomológica das espécies de triatomíneos encontradas na zona rural do município de Caruaru, estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, de 2011 a 2012

“…Existem fatores que podem favorecer a disseminação da doença de Chagas, como a baixa situação socioeconômica, que se reflete nas péssimas condições das habitações humanas, e a ocorrência de espécies de triatomíneos com importante potencial de domiciliação e capacidade vetorial 11,12,13 . Geralmente os domicílios são construídos de forma precária: paredes de pau a pique, barreadas e com telhado de sapé, tábuas de madeira e alvenaria sem reboco, facilitando a adaptação dos insetos a esses habitats artificiais 14 .…”

Molecular bloodmeal analyses reveal that Trypanosoma cruzi‐infected, native triatomine bugs often feed on humans in houses in central Brazil

“…In the wild, R. neglectus feeds on palm‐dwelling vertebrates including birds, opossums, rodents and bats (Carcavallo et al ., ); 64.3% of the 28 R. neglectus studied in this work had fed on human blood. Finally, T. pseudomaculata feeds on a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans, chickens, rodents, dogs, pigs, opossums and lizards (Silva et al ., ). Triatoma pseudomaculata infests rural and urban/suburban dwellings, and often carries T. cruzi , both in the semi‐arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil and in the eastern half of the Cerrado (e.g.…”

“…Several approaches have been used to determine bloodmeal sources in triatomines, including immunological tests (Silva et al ., ), polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based methods (Peña et al ., ; Georgieva et al ., ) and mass spectrometry (Keller et al ., ). High‐resolution melting (HRM) is a post‐PCR analysis that detects small variations in nucleic acid sequences based on the temperature‐dependent dissociation (melting) behaviour of double‐stranded DNA treated with a fluorescent dye.…”

“…Triatoma pseudomaculata infests rural and urban/suburban dwellings, and often carries T. cruzi , both in the semi‐arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil and in the eastern half of the Cerrado (e.g. Silva et al ., ; Minuzzi‐Souza et al ., ). Taken together, these data and observations all point to the suggestion that the five native triatomine species studied here may transmit human Chagas' disease across their wide distribution ranges (Abad‐Franch et al ., ).…”

Spatial distribution of triatomine bugs in a Chagas disease endemic region in Brazil

“…These specimens may live in intradomiciliary and peridomiciliary environments 7,8 . Peridomiciliary ecotypes, including animal facilities and building remains, play an important role as a bridge between the domestic and wild cycles of the disease 8,9 .…”