title: The number of families of Triatoma dimidiata in a Guatemalan house.
abstract: Triatoma dimidiata is an important vector of Chagas disease in Guatemala. To help understand the biology and population dynamics of the insect, we estimated the number of full sibling families living in one house. Forty one families with an average size of 2.17 individuals were detected using random amplification of polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction genetic markers. This result suggests high levels of migration of the vector, polyandry, and a significant capability for spreading the disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala. melgar@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melgar
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landaverde
authors.forename: Franklin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Antonieta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodas
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Enríquez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorn
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monroy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000635:transmission; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006166:Guatemala; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D014224:Triatoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics