Triatoma brasiliensis

Triatoma brasiliensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Family:	Reduviidae
Subfamily:	Triatominae
Genus:	Triatoma
Species:	T. brasiliensis
Binomial name
*Triatoma brasiliensis* Neiva, 1911

Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva, 1911 is now considered the most important Chagas disease vector in the semiarid areas of northeastern Brazil.^[1] T. brasiliensis occurs in 12 Brazilian states, including Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba.

T. brasiliensis is native to this part of Brazil, and thus persists in the natural environment. This makes control problematic (see below).

Populations

There are at least four populations of T. brasiliensis: brasiliensis, melanica, juazeiro, and macromelasoma.

Control

The control strategies against this vector are very complex due to its capacity to infest natural and artificial environments presenting high levels of population density.

References

^ Costa J, Peterson AT, Beard CB (2002) Ecologic niche modeling and differentiation of populations of Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva, 1911, the most important Chagas' disease vector in northeastern Brazil (hemiptera, reduviidae, triatominae). Am J Trop Med Hyg 67:516-20

Costa J, Almeida CE, Dotson EM, Lins A, Vinhaes M, Silveira AC, Beard CB 2003a. The epidemiologic importance of Triatoma brasiliensis as a Chagas disease vector in Brazil: a revision of domiciliary captures during 1993-1999. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 98: 443-449.
Costa J, Almeida CE, Dujardin JP, Beard CB 2003b. Crossing experiments detect genetic incompatibility among populations of Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva, 1911 (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 98: 637-639.
Lent H, Wygodzinsky P (1979) Revision of the Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), and their significance as vectors of Chagas disease. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 163:123–520.
Diotaiuti L, Faria-Filho OF, Carneiro FC, Dias JC, Pires HH, Schofield CJ 2000. Aspectos operacionais do controle de Triatoma brasiliensis. Cad Saúde Pública 16 (Supl. 2): 61-67.