Feeding patterns of Triatoma vitticeps in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Objective Feeding patterns of triatomines have contributed to elucidate its biology. Triatoma vitticeps, naturally infected with T. cruzi, has been fo und in domiciles. Its behavior and epidemiological patterns were investigat ed. Methods One-hundred and twenty two specimens of T.vitticeps were captured f rom February 1989 to April 1993 in two areas of Triunfo municipality, a sub district of Santa Maria Madalena municipal district, State of Rio de Janeir o, Brazil. The insects were dissected and their intestinal contents were re moved and tested. It was used antisera From: man, cow, horse, dog, pig, arm adillo. opossum, rodent, and bird. Results From the total analyzed, 79 were positive and 43 were negative to t he nine antisera rested: armadillo (30.3%) > human and pig (13.1%) > bird a nd dog (11.5%) > horse (5.7%) > opossum (4.9%) > rodent (4.1%) > cow (3.3%) . Blood meals ranged from 0 to 4 and 6 in the following distribution: 0 = 2 5.41%; 1 = 45.08%; 2 = 10.66%; 3 = 6.56%; 4 = 1.64%, and 6 = 0.82%. Nine of the 122 insects captured were not examined, 74 (65.54%) were positive for T. cruzi infection and 39 (34.51%) were negative. Conclusions These results identified the T. vitticeps as being a sylvatic s pecies and trypanosomiasis as being an enzootic disease. Epidemiological vi gilance will be important to provide more information regarding the behavio r of the species.