R e v is t a d a S o c i e d a d e B r a s i le i r a d e M e d i c in a T r o p ic a l 2 3 ( 3 ) : 1 7 5 , ju l - s e t , 1 9 9 0
C O M U N IC A Ç Ã O
O C C U R R E N C E O F T R IA T O M IN E IN F E S T A T IO N
W IT H O U T T R Y P A N O S O M A C R U Z I T R A N S M IS S IO N
IN T R ES BR A Ç O S, BA HLA-BRAZIL
M .T .A . G a r c ia -Z a p a ta , E. L a g o , D. V irg e n s a n d P .D . M a rs d e n
W e have reported in part our epidemiological studies on human infection w i t h L e i s h m a n i a v i a n n ia b r a z i l i e n s i s (Lvb) in the farms surrounding the hamlet of Tres Braços, Bahia, Brazil1. This community is still surrounded by one o f the few surviving pieces of littoral forest Since the begining of our studies 15 years ago we have utilised serology to help in the diagnosis of Lvb infection in our patients and as an indicator of leishmanial activity after treatm ent The fact that no T. c r u z i transmission occurred in the area helped in the interpretation of such serology (IFA T , Elisa) since T. c r u z i and Leishmania cross react in these tests. Here we report the detection of domiciliated P a n s t r o n g y l u s m e g i s t u s in the farm Piabanha which is under longitu dinal study. O f 24 houses visited in the farm 7 had evidence of triatomine infestation on the walls and in two live bugs were captured. All the ten adults and 4 juvenile stages captured were negative for T c r u z i and measures to spray affected houses are being imple mented. It is possible that this domicilary invasion by
P . m e g i s t u s is from a sylvatic focus although to date no such focus has been detected. Years of work in São Felipe, Bahia where T. c r u z i transmission by P . m e g i s t u s was common failed to reveal P . m e g i s t u s of sylvatic origin2. It is also possible that P. m e g i s t u s was introduced into Piabanha by an infested visitor al though no evidence of this event was recorded.
R E F E R E N C E S
1. J o n e s T C , J o h n so n W D , B ar reto A C , L a g o E , B a d a ró R , C e r f B , R e e d S G , M N e tto E , T a d a M S , F ra n ça F , W ie s e K , G o lig h tly L , F ik rig E , C o s ta J L M , C u b a C C , M a rsd en P D . E p id e m io lo g y o f A m e r ic a n cu ta n eo u s leish m a n ia sis d u e to L e is h m a n i a b r a z ilie n s is b r a z ilie n sis. Jou rna l o f In fec tio u s D is e a s e 1 56: 7 3 - 8 3 , 1 9 8 7 .
2 . M ile s M A . D istr ib u tio n an d im p o rta n ce o f triatom in ae a s v e c to r s o f T. cru zi. In: P A H O . A m e r ic a n T r y p a n o so m ia sis R e se a rc h . S c ie n tific P u b lica tio n 3 1 8 , p. 4 8 - 5 6 , 1 9 7 5 .
Supported by NIH Grante 16282.
Núcleo de Medicina Tropical e Nutrição, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, D F.
Recebido para publicação em 31/07/90.
