Fungal flora of the digestive tract of Rhodnius prolixus, Rhodnius neglectus, Diptelanogaster maximus and Panstrongylus megistus, vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, Chagas, 1909

This paper reports a study on the mycobiota in the digestive tract of four important species of triatomines: Rhodnius prolixus, R. neglectus, Diptelanogaster maximus and Panstrongylus megistus. The digestive tracts of 90 adults and 425 nymphs of these four triatomine species were studied and 365 fungal strains were isolated. The genera with the greatest number of species were Aspergillus, Penicillium (14 species in each genus), Acremonium and Cladosporium (three species in each genus), and the most frequent species, in decreasing order, were Aspergillus awamori, Penicillium corylophilum, Cladosporium herbarum and Aspergillus niger. It was concluded that, among the isolated fungi, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium corylophilum might be part of the natural flora of the digestive tract of triatomines.

Um estudo da micobiota do trato digestivo de quatro importantes espécies de triatomíneos, Rhodnius prolixus, R. neglectus, Diptelanogaster maximus e Panstrongylus megistus, foi realizado. Foram examinados os tratos digestivos de 90 adultos e 425 ninfas destas espécies de triatomíneos e 365 cepas fúngicas foram isoladas. Os gêneros com o maior número de espécies encontradas foram Aspergillus, Penicillium (14 espécies cada), Acremonium e Cladosporium (3 espécies cada) e as espécies mais freqüentes, em ordem decrescente, foram Aspergillus awamori, Penicillium corylophilum, Cladosporium herbarum e Aspergillus niger. Dentre os fungos isolados, concluímos que Aspergillus niger e Penicillium corylophilum possam fazer parte da flora natural do trato digestivo destes triatomíneos.

Perspectivas actuales del tratamiento específico de la enfermedad de Chagas / Present perspectives of specific treatment of Chagas's disease

The evolution of the specific treatment of Chagas's disease, including the numerous drugs tested, is briefly summarized. Since 1969 laboratory and clinical studies have persistently demostrated that nifurtimox (NFX) and benznidazole (BNL) are the best agents for treating trypanosoma cruzi huamn infection, even though they cannot be considered ideal drugs. The main indications for NFX and BNL are: acute phase of the infection, congenital form, reactivation associated with inmunosuppresion, recently acquired infection, mostly in children and young adults, and in transfusions and organ transplant situations. Both drugs may also be indicated for the treatment of some patients in the indeterminated asymptomatic form of the chronic infection with mild heart involvement, or in clinical megaesophagus patients who previously need symptomatic treatmentto ensure the appropriate absortion of the medication. The most used dosage schedules are: NFX, for 60-90 days, 8-10 mg/kg/day in adults and < 15 mg/kg/day in children. BNL, for 60 days, 5 mg/kg/day in adults and < 10 mg/kg/day in children. Both drugs are taken orally and must be given divided into 2-3 fracctions after meals. Both drugs are well tolerated by children, and particularly in the acute phase of the disease. Adverse reactions may be observed, i.e. disturbances associated to the digestive tract such as hiporexia, nausea, vomiting and loss of weigth with NFX, and dermopathy and polineuropathy, with BNL. The main limitations of both drugs are in the long course od adminitration and the ocurrence of adverse side affects. A series of promising new drugs for the treatment of human Chagas's disease in beign tested. Because the relativa lack of interest of the pharmaceutical industry in the research for new drugs for the treatment of the parasitosis, which affects 16-18 million people in Latin America, Universities and Research Governmental Institution should stimulate the investigation for the development of new drugs and the clinical evaluation of drugs experimentally known and not yet tested.