<p>This thesis analyses several factors affecting the control of triatomines in Guatemala. There are three synantropic triatomines in Guatemala, i.e., <i>Rhodnius prolixus</i>, <i>Triatoma dimidiata</i> and <i>T. nitida</i>. Their distibution is mainly at an altitude between 800 and 1500 m a.s.l. <i>R. prolixus</i> and <i>T. nitida</i> have localized but scaterred distibution while <i>T. dimidiata</i> is present in 21 of the 22 departments in the country. Several investigations have shown that <i>R. prolixus</i> could be relatively easily eradicated while <i>T. dimidiata</i> may be more difficult to control, since it is present in domestic, peridomestic and sylvatic environments showing high diversity and a variety of epidemiological characteristics. Based on the incidence of <i>Trypanosma cruzi</i> infection in humans in the distributional areas of the triatomines, <i>R. prolixus</i> appear to be a more competent vector than <i>T. dimidiata</i>. This is despite the fact that these vectors have similar infection rates. Inside houses, <i>R. prolixus</i> and <i>T. dimidiata</i> and in artificial environments, <i>T. ryckmani</i> and <i>T. dimidiata</i>, preferred the northern side of the walls. Therefore, selective application of insecticides should focus on walls and furniture located in the northern part of the house. House improvements reduced the infestation of triatomines, and could be used as a complement to insecticidal spraying. Although <i>T. dimidiata</i> is not an efficient vector its wide distribution, versatility in occupying different habitats and capacity to disperse render this species difficult to control in Central America. Thus, only few months after insecticidal spraying <i>T. dimidiata</i> had reinfested the domestic environments. Morphometic methodology and genetic markers have been developed to differentiate within-species populations of <i>T. dimidiata</i> and <i>T. nitida</i>. Studies on the migration patterns of sylvatic <i>T. dimidiata</i> and <i>T. ryckmani</i> have been performed in order to clarify the colonization patterns. The adults migrate, in particular, in the dry part of the year. This finding may be of help in attempts to control <i>T. dimidiata</i>.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:uu-3606 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Monroy, Maria Carlota |
| Publisher | Uppsala University, Department of Systematic Zoology, Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary, text |
| Relation | Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, 1104-232X ; 895 |
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