ABSTRACT
Sylvatic triatomines might use the peridomicile as a 1st step in the process of domiciliation. Therefore, we evaluated the capability of sylvatic species to colonize the peridomicile of a rural area in the Province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. The research was carried out in 6 houses in the village of Trinidad. The person per hour capture method was employed to determine the presence of triatomines in all the buildings (n = 44). Dispersing adults were collected by means of light traps and by villagers when approaching their houses. Triatoma infestans (Klug) was the most abundant species followed by the sylvatic Triatoma guasayana Wygodzinsky & Abalos. The branch pens, which included cacti, Opuntia quimilo, and bromeliads in their structure, were significantly associated with T. guasayana. Most of these insects had fed on domestic blood sources. With the exception of 1 Triatoma sordida (Stål), dispersing adults were T. guasayana; among those approaching houses, 12 were females (2 of which were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas) and 3 were males. T. guasayana was found to be capable of intensively invading the intradomicile and the peridomicile, showing a high tendency to settle in the ecotopes which included nontransformed raw material from the wild and where T. infestans was less abundant.
Subject(s)
Triatoma , Animals , Argentina , Female , Humans , Male , Residence Characteristics , Triatoma/classification , Triatoma/parasitology , Trypanosoma cruzi/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
An association was determined between Triatona infestans, poultry, and humans in Trinidad, in the Province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. To collect triatomines, four samples were taken at the area immediately surrounding six houses by the one hour/man capture method (December 1991 - October 1992). Peridomiciliary ecotopes were classified as arthropic (where humans carry out daily activities) or non-anthropic. Tratomine feeding habits were also determined. Of 134 biotopes, 21% had T. infestans, 22% had poultry, and 54% were anthropic. Some 25% of the latter harboured both poultry and T. infestans. Poultry were the only domestic animals associated with T. infestans, a finding that was exclusive to anthropic ecotopes. The proportion of feedings on individual fowl (61/146) was highly significant. Chicken coops are not used in Trinidad, and poultry brood in anthropic structures. Due to the materials used for making their nests and their repeated use, a periodic bug flow can be established from the intra- to the peridomiciliary area and vice versa, through passive transport. The close relationship among T, infestans, poultry, and humans in anthropic biotopes where other T. cruzi reservoirs such as dogs are also present contributes to the maintenance of domestic triatomine colonies and transmission of Chagas' disease to humans.
