A key for identifying faecal smears to detect domestic infestations of triatomine bugs

Schofield, C.J.; Williams, N.G.; Kirk, M.L.; Garcia Zapata, M.T.; Marsden, P.D.

doi:10.1590/S0037-86821986000100002

Abstracts

Early detection of residual populations of domestic triatomine bugs that survive insecticide treatment is a key component of successful evaluation and vigilance for Chagas disease control. We have recently demonstrated that sheets of paper, tacked on to the walls of infested houses, can become streaked with the faeces of triatomine bugs and thus reveal thepresence of an infestation. In thispaper, wepresent a simple key to differentiate the faecal streaks of triatomine bugs from those of other domestic arthropods such as cockroaches, ticks and cimicid bedbugs.

Chagas' disease; Vector control; Triatominae

Determinar as populações de barbeiros residuais nas casas depois de borrifação com inseticidas é um componente importante na vigilância e evolução do controle dos vetores da doença de Chagas. Recentemente, mostramos que folhas de papel, afixadas na parede das casas infestadas, podem ser manchadas com fezes dos triatomineos, assim revelando a infestação. Neste trabalho, apresentamos uma chave simples para diferenciar as fezes dos triatomineos de outros artropodos, como baratas, carrapatos e percevejos de cama.

Doença de Chagas; Controle de vetores; Triatomineos

ARTICLES

A key for identifying faecal smears to detect domestic infestations of triatomine bugs

C.J. Schofield^I; N.G. Williams^I; M.L. Kirk^I; M.T. Garcia Zapata^II; P.D. Marsden^I

^IDepartment of Medical Entomology London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1 E7HT, England

^IINúcleo dc Medicina Tropical c Nutrição, e Universidade de Brasília. 70910 Brasilia. DF. Brasil.

ABSTRACT

Early detection of residual populations of domestic triatomine bugs that survive insecticide treatment is a key component of successful evaluation and vigilance for Chagas disease control. We have recently demonstrated that sheets of paper, tacked on to the walls of infested houses, can become streaked with the faeces of triatomine bugs and thus reveal thepresence of an infestation. In thispaper, wepresent a simple key to differentiate the faecal streaks of triatomine bugs from those of other domestic arthropods such as cockroaches, ticks and cimicid bedbugs.

Keywords: Chagas' disease. Vector control. Triatominae.

RESUMO

Determinar as populações de barbeiros residuais nas casas depois de borrifação com inseticidas é um componente importante na vigilância e evolução do controle dos vetores da doença de Chagas. Recentemente, mostramos que folhas de papel, afixadas na parede das casas infestadas, podem ser manchadas com fezes dos triatomineos, assim revelando a infestação. Neste trabalho, apresentamos uma chave simples para diferenciar as fezes dos triatomineos de outros artropodos, como baratas, carrapatos e percevejos de cama.

Palavras-chave: Doença de Chagas. Controle de vetores. Triatomineos.

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Recebido para publicação em 6/6/1985.

1. Cochran DG. Nitrogen excretion in cockroaches. Annual Review of Entomology. 30: 29-49, 1985.
2. Cochran DG, Mullins DE. Physiological processes related to nitrogen excretion in cockroaches. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 222: 277-285, 1982.
3. Garcia-Zapata MT, Schofield CJ, Marsden PD. A simple method to detect the presence of live triatomine bugs in houses sprayed with residual insecticides. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 79: 558-559, 1985.
4. Gómez-Núnez JC. Desarrollo de un nuevo metodo para evaluar la infestación intradomiciliaria por Rhodnius prolixus en la vivienda rural. Acta Cientifica Venezolana 16: 26-31, 1965.
5. Kohls GM, Hoogstraal H. Observations on the subgenus Argas (Ixodoidea. Argasidae. Argas). 4. A. neghmei, new species, from poultry houses and human habitations in northem Chile. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 54: 844-851, 1961.
6. Marsden PD, Penna R. A vigilance unit for households subject to triatomine control. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 76: 790-792, 1982.
7. Schenone H, Valdés J, Villarroel F., Rojas A. Algunas consideraciones sobre procedimentos para detectar la presencia de Triatoma infestans en viviendas. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia 37: 18-21, 1982.
8. Schofield CJ. A comparison of sampling techniques for domestic populations of Triatominae. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 72: 449-455, 1978.
9. Schofield CJ. The problem of Chagas' disease vector control. In: Baker JR. (ed.) Perspectives in Trypanosomiasis Research, Research Studies Press, Chichester, p. 71-84, 1982.
10. Schofield CJ. Control of Chagas' disease vectors. British Medical Bulleün, 41: 187-194, 1985.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
06 June 2013
Date of issue
Mar 1986

History

Received
06 June 1985
Accepted
06 June 1985

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. Cochran DG. Nitrogen excretion in cockroaches. Annual Review of Entomology. 30: 29-49, 1985.

[2] 2. Cochran DG, Mullins DE. Physiological processes related to nitrogen excretion in cockroaches. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 222: 277-285, 1982.

[3] 3. Garcia-Zapata MT, Schofield CJ, Marsden PD. A simple method to detect the presence of live triatomine bugs in houses sprayed with residual insecticides. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 79: 558-559, 1985.

[4] 4. Gómez-Núnez JC. Desarrollo de un nuevo metodo para evaluar la infestación intradomiciliaria por Rhodnius prolixus en la vivienda rural. Acta Cientifica Venezolana 16: 26-31, 1965.

[5] 5. Kohls GM, Hoogstraal H. Observations on the subgenus Argas (Ixodoidea. Argasidae. Argas). 4. A. neghmei, new species, from poultry houses and human habitations in northem Chile. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 54: 844-851, 1961.

[6] 6. Marsden PD, Penna R. A vigilance unit for households subject to triatomine control. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 76: 790-792, 1982.

[7] 7. Schenone H, Valdés J, Villarroel F., Rojas A. Algunas consideraciones sobre procedimentos para detectar la presencia de Triatoma infestans en viviendas. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia 37: 18-21, 1982.

[8] 8. Schofield CJ. A comparison of sampling techniques for domestic populations of Triatominae. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 72: 449-455, 1978.

[9] 9. Schofield CJ. The problem of Chagas' disease vector control. In: Baker JR. (ed.) Perspectives in Trypanosomiasis Research, Research Studies Press, Chichester, p. 71-84, 1982.

[10] 10. Schofield CJ. Control of Chagas' disease vectors. British Medical Bulleün, 41: 187-194, 1985.