Abstract

FARFAN-GARCIA, Ana E  and  ANGULO-SILVA, Víctor M. Triatoma dimidiata populations' (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) feeding behaviour in an endemic zone and related epidemiological implications. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2011, vol.13, n.1, pp.163-172. ISSN 0124-0064.

Objective Determining Triatoma dimidiata's feeding behaviour in domiciliary and extra-domiciliary habitats in an endemic area of the Santander department in Colombia. Materials and methods The ELISA technique was used for processing the intestinal contents of 367 insects captured in rural areas around the municipalities of Capitanejo and Macaravita. 12 anti-animal species specific polyclonal anti-sera were used in ELISA. T. dimidiata hosts were determined by reactivity to each anti-serum; host percentages were established. Results 42.2% of the intestinal content processed by ELISA was reactive for blood proteins from one or more than 10 hosts. Domestic animal proteins were identified in all reactive intra-domiciliary and peridomestic insects, most often chicken blood, followed by that from goats, canines and humans. Blood from domestic animals like goats, chicken and horses was also detected in wild insects. Blood from animals such as armadillo and fara were identified in intra-domiciliary insects. Human host protein was found in 11% of intra-domiciliary and peri-domiciliary insects. Conclusions The vector's eclectic nature in domiciliary and extra-domiciliary habitats was determined by identifying human blood in wild and domestic animals. The wild populations' mobility towards domiciliary and peri-domiciliary areas was demonstrated by finding domestic animals' blood in them and wild animals' blood in domestic and peri-domestic insects. These results contribute towards understanding Trypanosoma cruzi transmission-cycles.

Keywords : Triatoma; feeding behaviour; ELISA.

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