Occurrence of Panstrongylus megistus (Burmeister, 1835) in an area under entomological surveillance in the Southeast Region of Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: João Victor Leite Dias, Rita de Cássia Moreira de Souza, Janice Maria Borba Souza, Liléia Gonçalves Diotaiuti, Raquel Aparecida Ferreira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2020
• Subjects: Chagas disease; Surveillance; Triatomine; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0084-2020; https://doaj.org/article/c6830534c92c4ba4ba38ff6411f0bcec

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Panstrongylus megistus is the main triatomine involved in the human transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Minas Gerais, Brazil. We analyzed the occurrence of triatomines in the Itaúna micro-regions for healthcare. METHODS: Data were collected as part of routine entomological surveillance activities, including the species identity, capture site, developmental stage, and trypanosome infection. RESULTS: In total, 503 specimens from five species were captured (495 P. megistus). Adults were mainly captured by residents inside their homes, whereas nymphs were mostly captured by public health professionals outside. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiologically important triatomine, P. megistus, continues to persist in our study region.