Avaliação da fauna triatomínica em municípios do alto oeste potiguar.

Abstract

Triatomines are hematophagous insects of great medical importance, as they transmit the protozoan that causes Chagas disease (CD), Trypanosoma cruzi. The objective of the research was to evaluate the distribution, diversity, and natural infection by T. cruzi in triatomines from the municipalities ofAltoOestePotiguar.Adescriptiveanddocumentary study was carried out based on data from the records of triatomine collections from households, carried out under the CDControlProgram,inthemunicipalitiesofAltoOeste Potiguar, between 2017 and 2018. The Natural Infection Index was calculated, the chi-square test was used and analyzing the Prevalence Ratio with the confidence interval (95%), considering p<0.05,statisticallysignificant.Spatialdistributionofspeciescollected and positive for T. cruzi by cities was performed. A total of 1.116 triatomines were collected in 25 cities. The specimens belonged to six species: Triatoma brasiliensis (60.4%), T. pseudomaculata (36.3%), Panstrongylus lutzi (2%), P. megistus (0.2%), Rhodnius nasutus(0.4%),T.petrochii(0.2%).Nymphshadanoccurrence1.3timesgreater in the peridomicile and adults 1.8 times greater in the intradomicile (p=0.001). Triatoma brasiliensis presented 2.1 times more occurrence in the intradomicile, and T. pseudomaculata 1.3 times more in the peridomicile (p=0.001). The overall natural infection rate was 2.2%. Adults are 2.9 times more positive for T. cruzi than nymphs (p=0.027). 12 cities had positive triatomines. The results show thepresenceoftriatomines that are well adapted to the urban environment, indoors and positive for T. cruzi, which points to a potential risk for thepopulationsofthestudiedregion.Itisevidenttheneedfor continuation of control and surveillance actions, as well as systematic analysis of data in future research as a way of monitoring the process of adaptation and dispersion of triatoins.