Triatoma maculata colonises urban domicilies in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil

Abstract

During a medical entomology course in Boa Vista, Roraima, colonies of Triatoma maculata closely associated with pigeon nests were observed in concrete air-conditioner box located on the external plastered and cemented walls of a modern brick-built apartment block. In only one eight-hole ceramic brick, located inside one air-conditioner box, 127 specimens of T. maculata were collected. T. maculata is a recognised vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the surrounding area and its domiciliation increases the risk of Chagas disease transmission.

Two new records of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from Roraima state, Brazil

“…), whereas in Northern Roraima P. geniculatus and T. maculata were found both in the intradomicile and peridomicile, especially in henhouses (Luitgards-Moura et al 2005). T. maculata was also found in the domiciles of an old residential complex in the urban area of Boa Vista, associated with pigeon nests (Ricardo-Silva et al 2016).…”

“…Currently, Triatominae includes 154 species, of which 67 have been found in Brazil (Dorn et al 2018;Lima-Cordón et al 2019;Nascimento et al 2019;Oliveira et al 2018;Poinar 2019). Although around 20 species of Triatominae (Coura and Junqueira 2015; Galvão 2014; Galvão et al 2003;Rosa et al 2012), have been recorded in the North region of the country, only four of them Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille, 1811), Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848), Rhodnius pictipes Stål, 1972 andRhodnius robustus Larrousse, 1927 have been registered in the state of Roraima, which suggests that triatomine species have been undersampled there (Luitgards-Moura et al 2005;Ricardo-Silva et al 2016).…”

Integrating evidence, models and maps to enhance Chagas disease vector surveillance

“…Disease control efforts in the past were designed accordingly, to accommodate the characteristics of rural areas. However, Chagas disease is now known to be established in several urban settings, creating a new epidemiological challenge for prevention [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”

Morphology of the spermathecae of twelve species of Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) vectors of Chagas disease

“…The twelve species studied belong to three genera of major epidemiology and taxonomy importance: Panstrongylus, Rhodnius and Triatoma. Panstrongylus megistus was found in one of the largest metropolitan areas of Latin America in 2011; Rhodnius neglectus was collected on palm trees in downtown Monte Alto city in 2013; and Triatoma maculata was found in an air-conditioner box in a modern brick-built apartment block in 2016 (Carvalho et al, 2013;Rimoldi et al, 2016;Ricardo-Silva et al, 2016).…”