Ecological aspects of South American trypanosomiasis: XXI - Sylvatic triatominae behaviour related to the domiciliary and peridomiciliary environments

Abstract

The results of observations on triatominae bugs in three localities, one of them under to active annual regular surveillance and the other two which had undergone house treatment six months and one and half years before, respectively, are reported. Two of these localities were situated in the dispersal center region of Panstrongylus megistus, and the third in the dispersal center region of Triatoma sordida. At two-monthly periods each area was submitted to dwelling inspection in the search for triatominae bugs in indoor and peridomiciliary environments. The results reached confirmed the slow speed of reinfestation by P. megistus, in apparent contrast with that of T. sordida. This latter producing colonies at a high rate in peridomiciliary environments. No difference was found between intra and peridomiciliary environments in their attraction for this bug. P. megistus reinfestation was frequently found associated with natural infection. Reintroduction of Triatoma infestans into dwellings was associated with human population mobility. The peridomiciliary colonization of T. sordida allowed the study of the development of these colonies, and remarkably similar results to those found in the experimental fowl houses previously reported on was obtained. The presence of Rhodnius neglectus was reported in all three localities and, though not prominent, it is necessary to pay some attention to this species as potential house invader.