[Infestation by Ornithocoris sp. at dwellings in the Municipality of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil].
Ornithocoris is a Hemiptera of the family Cimicidae that parasitizes wild and domestic birds. We considered opportune to report two isolate cases of parasitism by Ornithocoris sp. at dwellings in the municipality of Santa Maria, RS. In both cases, the residents reported the presence of insects at the night, besides intense prurid and red spots, typical of insect bites. All residents were affected, besides a dog. A great quantity of Ornithocors sp. specimens was seen on the walls, bed and leg of a child, while sleeping. Both cases occurred in the spring season when bird nests were seen near houses. It suggests that this blood sucking insect fed on humans in the absence of birds, their natural hosts.
Otto
Mateus A
MA
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
Da Silva
Aleksandro S
AS
Zanette
Régis A
RA
Schmitt
Luciano
L
Monteiro
Silvia G
SG
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D020063:Cimicidae; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D012111:Residence Characteristics