Triatomine bugs (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in the Domiciles of the Guaribas Valley Territory, in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Triatomine bugs are hematophagous insects that are extremely important in public health because they are natural vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. In this study, we aimed to assess the occurrence of triatomine species and the natural T. cruzi infection in the Guaribas Valley territory, an endemic region for Chagas disease in northeastern Brazil. Methods: Insects were actively captured from July 2017 to October 2019 in the intra-and peridomiciles of 16 municipalities of the Guaribas Valley territory, in the southeast area of Piauí state. Triatomine species were identified following a taxonomic key, and natural infection was investigated through insects' fresh feces exams. Results: A total of 430 triatomines were collected, including 211 nymphs and 219 adults. Of all collected specimens, 39 (9.1%) were from the intradomiciles and 391 (90.9%) from peridomiciles. Nine species, including two subspecies, could be identified: Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis, T. brasiliensis macromelasoma, T. pseudomaculata, T. sordida, T. juazeirensis, T. melanocephala, Panstrongylus lutzi, Rhodnius domesticus, R. nasutus, and R. robustus. T. brasiliensis were the most frequently collected bugs, representing 72% of all the identified insects. None of the examined invertebrates presented flagellate forms of T. cruzi. Conclusions: This is the first report of T. b. macromelasoma and T. juazeirensis in the Guaribas Valley territory. The persistence of triatomine species in the domiciles in an endemic area for Chagas disease emphasizes the relevance of entomological surveillance and vector control measures in the studied area.

Current and paleoclimate models for an Atlantic Forest kissing bug indicate broader distribution outside biome delimitations

“…We highlight the fact that R. domesticus was registered between 2017 and 2019 in Inhaúma, Itainópolis, and Picos, all municipalities of Piauí (PI) (Mendes-Sousa et al, 2020). An earlier extensive revision work of Chagas disease comprises PI regions in the distribution of R. domesticus (Carcavallo et al, 1999).…”

“…However, searching through the book's referenced literature, we found no mention of the species in the geopolitical area (Lent and Wygodzinsky, 1979;Silveira et al, 1984;Carcavallo and Martínez, 1985;Espinola, 1985). Therefore, the founding of R. domesticus in PI between (Mendes-Sousa et al, 2020 could be the first time the species has been adequately reported in the state.…”

“…One strategic epidemiological knowledge is on the species distribution. For this reason, fieldwork is constantly being carried out for the group (e.g., Silveira et al, 1984;Leite et al, 2011;Mendes-Sousa et al, 2020), and ecological niche models (ENMs) approaches, which indicate areas of suitable conditions based on abiotic factors, are also being developed in more recent years (e.g., Gurgel-Gonçalves and Cuba, 2009;Gurgel-Gonçalves et al, 2012;Bender et al, 2020;de Paula et al, 2021). Works on the compilation of species register also provide an extensive database on the triatomine distribution (Ceccarelli et al, 2018(Ceccarelli et al, , 2022.…”

“…That is the case of Rhodnius domesticus (Neiva and Pinto, 1923) (Hemiptera:Reduviidae:Triatominae), which also presents scarce sampling in some areas of its distribution (e.g. Mendes-Sousa et al, 2020;Corrêa-do-Nascimento et al, 2021) and has taxonomic incongruencies (e.g., Lent, 1942;Galvão and Gurgel-Gonçalves, 2014).…”