Isolation of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Buill. (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) from the Chagas diseases vector Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Argentina.

MARTI GERARDO A.; SCORSETTI ANA C.; SIRI AUGUSTO; LÓPEZ LASTRA CLAUDIA C.

MYCOPATHOLOGIA

Springer

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2005 vol. 159 p. 389 - 391

0301-486X

A survey for natural entomopathogenic fungi of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans was conducted in five provinces of Argentina since 2001. Nymphs (1.5%) and adults (3.3%) infected with a strain of the fungus Beauveria bassiana were found at Dean Funes, Córdoba province, Argentina. Field collected insects that died in the laboratory were maintained in moist chambers and incubated at 22 ◦C. Beauveria bassiana from infected insects was cultured on SDAY media. Pathogenicity tests were conducted with a conidial suspension (1 × 107 conidia/ml) of this isolate on T. infestans adults. A mortality rate of 100% was obtained at 15 days post-infection.This is the first record of natural infection of T. infestans by B. bassiana.Triatoma infestans was conducted in five provinces of Argentina since 2001. Nymphs (1.5%) and adults (3.3%) infected with a strain of the fungus Beauveria bassiana were found at Dean Funes, Córdoba province, Argentina. Field collected insects that died in the laboratory were maintained in moist chambers and incubated at 22 ◦C. Beauveria bassiana from infected insects was cultured on SDAY media. Pathogenicity tests were conducted with a conidial suspension (1 × 107 conidia/ml) of this isolate on T. infestans adults. A mortality rate of 100% was obtained at 15 days post-infection.This is the first record of natural infection of T. infestans by B. bassiana. Keywords: Argentina, Beauveria bassiana, entomopathogenic fungi, Triatoma infestans.Argentina, Beauveria bassiana, entomopathogenic fungi, Triatoma infestans.