The authors present the results of an epidemiological study relating to a case of acute Chagas' disease acquired in the island of Mosqueiro, State of Para, approximately 75 km from the capital Belem. The patient has been the object of a previous publication but now epidemiological information is reported. Near the house of the patient in two Inaja palm trees (Maximilian regia) and one Mucaja palm (Acrocomia sclerocarpia) 114 triatomine bugs were captured of the following species: Rhodnius pictipes, R. robustus, Panstrongylus lignarius, P. geniculatus and Microtriatoma trinidadensis. Trypanosomes were found in 31 bugs. In the house of the patient specimens of R. pictipes were captured infected with metacyclic forms óf Trypanosoma cruzi. In 14 marsupials captured in the locality three had infections with cruzi like trypanosomes. Enzyme electrophoresis of the trypanosomes isolated from the patient, R. pictipes and Didelphis marsupialis were classified as zymodeme 1. The authors conclude that the patients Chagas' disease was of sylvatic origin.
Trypanosoma cruzi; Chagas' disease; Triatomids; Epidemiology