title: Comparative kinetics of bloodmeal intake by Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, the two principal vectors of Chagas disease.
abstract: Chagas disease vector insects Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus (fifteen stage III nymphs per 4 litre cage) were allowed to feed on anaesthetized mice for 1 h (control group), or on active non-anaesthetized mice (NAM) for 2, 4 or 8 h exposure. The bloodmeal size (weight increase) for both species was proportional to the duration of contact with NAM, due to ingestion of multiple small bloodmeals, up to 142% of control weight for T. infestans with 8 h exposure to NAM. The mean weight increase of T. infestans nymphs after 4 h contact with NAM was similar to that of the control group, whereas for R. prolixus, 8 h contact with NAM gave only 64% of the control value. For both species of insect, within 4 h of feeding, > 20% of the bloodmeal weight was lost by defaecation and diuresis. The proportions of unfed nymphs and mortality during 2 h contact with NAM were significantly higher for R. prolixus, demonstrating better exploitation of the host blood source by T. infestans, apparently because during blood-feeding the latter insect species caused less irritation to the host.
authors.affiliation: UNIFENAS, Alfenas, Brazil.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Penido
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diotaiuti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D014355:Chagas Disease; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D051379:Mice; D011156:Population Density; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000469:parasitology*; D014224:Triatoma / Q000469:parasitology*