title: Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) in the Pantanal region: association with Trypanosoma cruzi, different habitats and vertebrate hosts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Brazilian Pantanal region has been studied during the last decade. Although considerable knowledge is available regarding the mammalian hosts infected by T. cruzi in this wetland, no studies have investigated its vectors in this region. This study aimed to investigate the presence of sylvatic triatomine species in different habitats of the Brazilian Pantanal region and to correlate their presence with the occurrences of vertebrate hosts and T. cruzi infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The fieldwork involved passive search by using light traps and Noireau traps and active search by visual inspection. The light traps were placed at five selected points along forested areas for seven nights during each of the nine excursions. At each point where a light trap was set, eight Noireau traps were placed in palm trees and bromeliads.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 88 triatomine bugs were collected: two and one individuals from light traps and Noireau traps, respectively; three from peridomestic areas; 23 in coati nests; and 59 in thornbird nests. In this study, active search in microhabitats showed higher efficiency than passive search, since 95% of the triatomine bugs were caught in nests. Further, triatomine bugs were only found to be infected by T. cruzi in coati nests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coati nests might act as a point of convergence and dispersion for triatomine bugs and mammal hosts infected by T. cruzi, thereby playing an important role in the sylvatic cycle of T. cruziin the Pantanal region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Filipe Martins
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vida Selvagem, Embrapa Pantanal, Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme de Miranda
authors.initials: Gde M
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jurberg
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandro Pacheco
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Heitor Miraglia
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology*; D001938:Brazil; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000635:transmission; D004199:Disease Vectors / Q000145:classification; D017753:Ecosystem; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D045988:Procyonidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014225:Triatominae / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification*