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Title: RECORD OF EVLACHOVAEA SP. (HYPHOMYCETES) ON TRIATOMA SORDIDA IN THE STATE OF GOIAS, BRAZIL, AND ITS ACTIVITY AGAINST TRIATOMA INFESTANS (REDUVIIDAE, TRIATOMINAE)

Author
item LUZ, CHRISTIAN - FED UNIV GOIAS BRAZIL
item ROCHA, LUIZ - FED UNIV GIOAS BRAZIL
item Humber, Richard

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2003
Publication Date: 4/1/2003
Citation: LUZ, C., ROCHA, L.F., HUMBER, R.A. RECORD OF EVLACHOVAEA SP. (HYPHOMYCETES) ON TRIATOMA SORDIDA IN THE STATE OF GOIAS, BRAZIL, AND ITS ACTIVITY AGAINST TRIATOMA INFESTANS (REDUVIIDAE, TRIATOMINAE). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Chagas disease and other protozoan diseases vectored by assassin bugs (insects in the family Reduviidae (Hemiptera)) cause severe human suffering in Brazil and other tropical countries. This paper discusses the discovery of a new insect pathogenic fungus in Brazil that shows considerable promise for controlling assassin bug populations in or around domestic buildings. The fungus is a new species of EVLACHOVAEA, a genus that was recently described in Russia. Recently, the occurrence in Brazil of two new species of EVLACHOVAEA was recognized; these are the first reported incidences of this genus outside Russia. The use of this fungus may allow relatively inexpensive but effective biological control of vectors of Chagas disease in domestic environments where the major use of chemical insecticides represents a distinct health hazard to humans and domestic animals.

Technical Abstract: A fungal isolate was detected on a dead TRIATOMA SORDIDA (Stal) collected in a peridomestic area in central Brazil. The fungus belongs to EVLACHOVAEA Borisov & Tarasov, a new genus which was recently described in Russia. The isolate appears to be a third species, and the second new and undescribed species from Brazil. The fungus showed to be highly virulent against TRIATOMA INFESTANS (Klug) third instar nymphs at close to 100% RH. However, activity was reduced at a lower humidity of 75%. Values of LD50 varied between 1.1x10E5 and 1.5x10E4 conidia/cmE2 treated surface, 15 and 20 days after fungal application and incubation at humidity close to saturation. This new fungus may have a potential for biological control of peridomestic Chagas disease vectors.