Host influence on the nutritional and reproductive status of Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) peridomiciliary populations

CAROLA SORIA; CARDOZO, MIRIAM; LILIAN E. CANAVOSO; LILIANA B. CROCCO; JULIETA NATTERO; VALERIA A. P. ORTIZ; LEYRIA JIMENA ; CLAUDIA S. RODRIGUEZ

Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina

Sociedad Entomológica Argentina

Lugar: La Plata ; Año: 2019 vol. 78 p. 1 - 11

Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the southern cone of South America. This species is well adapted to living in rural houses and structures used for housing domestic animals (peridomestic habitats). In this study, we evaluated the relationshipbetween the source of blood consumed by adults of T. infestans collected from differentperidomestic habitats from two localities from Cruz del Eje department (Córdoba, Argentina) and their nutritional and reproductive status. In each individual, the ratio between body weight and total body length was used as an indicator of nutritional status (NS). The presence ofsperm in spermathecae and the number of chorionated oocytes in ovaries and oviducts were considered indicators of reproductive status (RS) of females. The feeding source in the promesenteron of male and female insects was identified using anti-chicken, anti-goat, antihumanand anti-dog antisera. Chicken coops were the main peridomestic structure present inthe study area as well as the peridomestic sites with the highest percentage of T. infestans. Insects collected from the different peridomestic structures showed a NS between 8 and 15 mg/mm. Of the evaluated females, 35.7% presented chorionated oocytes. Food profileanalyses revealed that chicken was the main blood source. Independently of the blood source, the triatomines presented a NS between 8 and 15 mg/mm. No specimens feeding exclusively on human blood were found; nevertheless, of 31.48% of insects feeding on mixed blood sources, 59% included human blood. All T. infestans specimens that included humanblood in the mixed blood source were collected from chicken coops and storerooms located in a 12-m area around domiciles. Human blood present in mixed blood meal of adult insects suggests that T. infestans moves from domiciles to peridomicilies and vice versa.