Abstract
This study aimed to describe the main entomological triatomine-related indicators in the western mesoregion of Rio Grande do Norte. This is a descriptive cross-sectional retrospective study developed on a historical analysis of information on the triatomine capture carried out by the Chagas Disease Control Program, from 2008 to 2013. Five species were captured, of which the Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata, by occupying the domestic and peridomestic environment, sequentially, and Panstrongylus lutzi by the highest rate of natural infection. A prevalence of nymphs among the captured specimens, a higher triatominal density in the peridomicile, infestation, colonization and natural infection rates of 5.6%, 49.6% and 0.8%, respectively, a significant difference in the distribution of specimens between the municipalities investigated and lack of declining infestation and colonization rates between 2009 and 2012 was observed. Findings suggest the need for continuous surveillance, facilitated by the association between field teams and communities, with emphasis on the proposal of health education for the recognition and notification of triatomines by the population.
Highlights
MethodologyChagas disease still represents an important public health problem, given the current prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection of approximately 5.7 million individuals in Latin America, with the highest number of infected in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil
In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the first scientific description of T. cruzi infection was carried out in a seroprevalence study, which showed a positivity of 15.5% of the population[4] and, in spite of vector control programs adopted since that time, the presence of nine species of triatomines are recorded, among which are Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata, Panstrongylus megistus, Panstrongylus lutzi, Panstrongylus diasi, Rhodnius nasutus, Triatoma melanocephala, Triatoma petrochiae and Triatoma rubrofasciata[3]
According to a report provided by the Chagas Disease Control Program, 5,370 triatomines were captured, of which 50.6% (2,662/5,370) were in the form of nymphs and 75.5% (4,053/5,370) occupied the peridomestic environment (Table 1), so that statistical significance was detected between the intradomestic and peridomestic densities, with the latter being highlighted
Summary
Chagas disease still represents an important public health problem, given the current prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection of approximately 5.7 million individuals in Latin America, with the highest number of infected in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. In the latter, it is estimated that 1.2 million people are affected by the disease[1]. In relation to the Brazilian Northeast, the same stands out for the dispersion rates, domestic infestation, colonization and natural infection, anthropophilia and number of captures of species Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata and Panstrongylus megistus. Recent data have shown the estimated T. cruzi seroprevalence at 6.5% in the rural population of the Western Potiguar mesoregion, without, describing natural triatomine infection, infestation and domestic colonization rates[5]
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