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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 79(5), 2008, pp. 750-754
Copyright © 2008 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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*Chagas Disease
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Risk Presented by Copernicia prunifera Palm Trees in the Rhodnius nasutus Distribution in a Chagas Disease-endemic Area of the Brazilian Northeast

Marli M. Lima*, Carolina F. S. Coutinho, Taís F. Gomes, Tiago G. Oliveira, Rosemere Duarte, José Borges-Pereira, Márcio N. Bóia, AND Otília Sarquis
Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

With the aid of live-bait traps, we studied the risk that Copernicia prunifera palm trees, present in both periurban and rural localities of an endemic Brazilian northeast Chagas disease region, represent to domestic infestation by Rhodnius nasutus. In this area, this important vector has been encountered harboring and transmitting Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of the American trypanosomiasis, to mammals, possibly including humans. Results indicate that this bug colonizes C. prunifera palm trees of both regions, mainly in dry seasons, and is infected with high levels of T. cruzi. Although more triatomines were captured in rural areas, proportionally the number of infected bugs from peri-urban regions was much higher. Herein we address the epidemiologic implications and challenge for the Brazilian health authorities to control the disease in this region, where the native palm trees have been largely destroyed causing a severe disturbance in the environmental equilibrium.

Received March 25, 2008. Accepted for publication June 3, 2008.

Acknowledgments: We thank the Secretary of Health of the State of Ceará and the City Hall of Jaguaruana, Ceará, for technical assistance, transportation, and physical facilities, Mitchell R. Lishon for English revision, and Marcos Eduardo Melo and Cleber Cesar Ramos for invaluable assistance with the field work.

Financial support: This study received financial support from the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Faperj), and Programa Estratégico de Apoio à Pesquisa da Fiocruz (PAPES III).

* Address correspondence to Marli M. Lima, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz. Av. Brasil, 4365, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil. E-mail: mmlima{at}ioc.fiocruz.br

Authors’ addresses: Marli M. Lima, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz. Av. Brasil, 4365, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil, Tel: +55-21-25606474, Fax: +55-21-25984379, E-mail: mmlima{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Carolina F. S. Coutinho, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: carolina{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Taís F. Gomes, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: tais{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Tiago G. Oliveira, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: tiago{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Rosemere Duarte, Departamento de Biologia, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: rduarte{at}ensp.fiocruz.br. José Borges-Pereira, Laborató rio de Doenças Tropicais, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: borges{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Márcio N. Bóia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: mboia{at}ioc.fiocruz.br. Otília Sarquis, Laboratório de Eco-Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, IOC, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP 21045-900, E-mail: otiliasarquis{at}ioc.fiocruz.br.




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 Am J Trop Med HygHome page
T. G. Oliveira, F. A. Carvalho-Costa, O. Sarquis, and M. M. Lima
Feeding and Defecation Patterns of Rhodnius nasutus (Hemiptera; Reduviidae), A Triatomine Native to an Area Endemic for Chagas Disease in the State of Ceara, Brazil
Am J Trop Med Hyg, October 1, 2009; 81(4): 651 - 655.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.