Feeding sources and natural infection of Belminus herreri (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) from dwellings in Cesar, Colombia
oleh: Claudia Magaly Sandoval, Rosemere Duarte, Reinaldo Gutíerrez, Dayse da Silva Rocha, Victor Manuel Angulo, Lida Esteban, Marlen Reyes, José Jurberg, Cleber Galvão
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) 2004-03-01 |
Deskripsi
Belminus herreri, originally described from specimens collected in Panama, was considered entirely silvatic until to 2000 when it was found for the first time in a domestic habitat in Colombia. In 2001, during a new search of houses in the Department of Cesar, Colombia, 121 specimens were collected. Study of their feeding sources using an ELISA test revealed that 96% of these specimens had fed on cockroaches (Blattidae). However, a small proportion of these B. herreri specimens also showed the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi in their gut contents, suggesting a possible role for these insects in the epidemiology of Chagas disease.