Immatures of both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus have been found in water-holding bromeliad axils in Brazil. Removal of these plants or their treatment with insecticides in public and private gardens have been undertaken during dengue outbreaks in Brazil despite uncertainty as to their importance as productive habitats for dengue vectors. From March 2005-February 2006, we sampled 120 randomly selected bromeliads belonging to 10 species in a public garden less than 200 m from houses in a dengue-endemic neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. A total of 2,816 mosquito larvae and pupae was collected, with an average of 5.87 immatures per plant per collection. Culex (Microculex) pleuristriatus and Culex spp of the Ocellatus Group were the most abundant culicid species, found in all species of bromeliads; next in relative abundance were species of the genus Wyeomyia. Only two individuals of Ae. aegypti (0.07%) and five of Ae. albopictus(0.18%) were collected from bromeliads. By contrast, immatures of Ae. aegypti were found in manmade containers in nearly 5% of nearby houses. These results demonstrate that bromeliads are not important producers of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus and, hence, should not be a focus for dengue control. However, the results of this study of only one year in a single area may not represent outcomes in other urban localities where bromeliads, Ae. aegypti and dengue coincide in more disturbed habitats.

A atratividade da polpa do fruto de jatobá para saúva-limão foi avaliada tendo como parâmetro comparativo a polpa cítrica desidratada, utilizada como veículo por diversas marcas comerciais. O experimento foi conduzido em quatro formigueiros de saúva-limão em canteiros gramados com espécies arbóreas. As iscas de jatobá e de polpa cítrica desidratada, ambas sem princípio ativo, foram confeccionadas em grânulos com formato e diâmetro semelhantes aos das iscas granuladas comerciais. As iscas de jatobá foram mais atrativas para as operárias de saúva-limão, que fizeram o primeiro contato aos 17s, em contraste com os 29s gastos para o primeiro contato com as iscas de polpa cítrica. As iscas de jatobá também começaram a ser carregadas mais cedo, aos 26s, sendo que as iscas de polpa cítrica foram carregadas 48s mais tarde. A grande aceitação do jatobá foi reforçada pelo menor tempo para o encerramento dos testes, 5min 39s, contrastando com os 11min 17s necessários para o encerramento do teste com a polpa cítrica. A polpa do fruto do jatobá foi mais atrativa para saúva-limão do que a polpa cítrica desidratada.

Attractiveness of the leaf-cutting ant, Atta sexdens rubropilosa to jatobá's fruit pulp was evaluated, having the dehydrated citrus pulp as comparative parameter, used as vehicle by several commercial brands. The experiment was conducted on four nests of leaf-cutting ants on lawns with arboreal species. Jatobá baits and dehydrated citric pulp both without active principle were made into granules with form and diameter similar to the commercial granulated baits. Jatobá baits were more attractive to the laborers of leaf-cutting ants which made the first contact after 17s, contrasting with 29s before the first contact with citric pulp baits. Jatobá baits were also carried earlier, after 26s, while citric pulp baits were carried 48s later. The great acceptance of jatobá baits was strengthened by the short time to end the tests, 5min 39s, contrasting with 11min 17s to end the test with the citric pulp. The pulp of jatobá's fruit was more attractive to leaf-cutting ants than the dehydrated citric pulp.

A vaquinha Cerotoma arcuata ataca folhas de leguminosas e suas larvas alimentam-se de raízes e também de nódulos, onde a fixação de nitrogênio (FBN) ocorre. O ataque das larvas aos nódulos pode causar mais danos à cultura do feijoeiro do que o consumo das folhas pelas formas adultas. Este estudo foi conduzido em condições de campo para avaliar os efeitos da infestação de C. arcuata no cultivo do feijoeiro com ou sem cobertura morta ou consorciado com caupi ou com milho. A nodulação, o crescimento e a produção de grãos de feijoeiro quando consorciado com caupi não diferiram do controle. A barreira aos insetos formada pelo milho adensado falhou, provavelmente devido à infestação precoce de C. arcuata e ao sombreamento causado pelo milho, com redução na produtividade de feijoeiro. O consumo dos nódulos pelas larvas na cultura de feijão solteiro e nos consórcios foi superior ao do tratamento com cobertura morta. A barreira física imposta pela cobertura morta agiu provavelmente através da redução da oviposição diretamente no solo e do ressecamento dos ovos sobre a palha e resultou em menor porcentagem de nódulos furados, com conseqüente aumento no número e peso de nódulos, no peso de raiz e na produção de grãos. Os consórcios com milho ou com caupi não reduziram a infestação de feijoeiro por C. arcuata, mas a aplicação da cobertura morta antes da infestação reduziu os danos causados pelas larvas aos nódulos e favoreceu a FBN e a produtividade.

The bean leaf beetle Cerotoma arcuata is a legume leaf eater and its larvae feed on roots and also nodules where nitrogen fixation occurs. The attack of larvae to nodule may result in more damage to the bean crop than the consumption of leaves by adults. This study was conducted under field conditions to test the effects of C. arcuata infestation on Phaseolus bean with or without straw mulching or intercropped with maize or cowpea. Nodulation, growth and grain production when intercropping with cowpea did not differ from the control. The insect barrier formed by the maize’s high density failed, probably due to the early infestation by C. arcuata, as well as shading by the rows of maize, thereby reducing grain yield. Consumption of nodules was higher on the Phaseolus bean with or without intercropping than on the treatment with straw mulching. The physical barrier imposed by straw mulch probably acted by reducing oviposition directly on soil and drying the eggs laid above the straw, resulting in a smaller percentage of punctured nodules and consequently increasing nodule number and dry weight, root dry weight and grain yields. Intercropping with maize and cowpea did not reduce Phaseolus bean infestation by C. arcuata but straw mulching applied before infestation reduced damage caused by larvae to the nodules, increasing N2 fixation and grain yields.

Larvas de 2° instar de Cerotoma arcuata foram avaliadas em relação à susceptibilidade aos fungos entomopatogênicos Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae e a bactéria Bacillus thuringiensis com as toxinas Cry3. Os insetos adultos foram mantidos em gaiolas e alimentados com plântulas de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) e as larvas em "gerbox" com cotilédones de plântulas de feijão recém-germinadas. Das oito estirpes de B. bassiana avaliadas, CG 156 e CG 213 causaram 100% de mortalidade das larvas, as duas estirpes de M. anisopliae CG 210 e CG 321 foram patogênicas, eliminando 80 e 100% das larvas de C. arcuata, e, das cinco estirpes de B. thuringiensis testadas, o isolado CG 940 causou 70% de mortalidade das larvas.

Second instar larvae of Cerotoma arcuata were evaluated concerning the susceptibility to fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae and Bacillus thuringiensis strains containing Cry3 toxin. Adults of C. arcuata were kept in large cages and fed on bean seedlings and the larvae were reared in ‘gearbox’ feeding on germinated Phaseolus bean cotyledons. Strains CG 156 and CG 213 of B. bassiana killed 100% of the insect larvae and strains CG 210 and CG 321 of M. anisopliae killed 80 and 100% of the insect larvae. Strain CG 940 of B. thuringiensis killed 70% of the insect larvae.

Foi descrita a infecção experimental em Calomys callosus com uma cepa de Leishmania donovani chagasi de caso humano. Um grupo de 22 roedores foi inoculado por via intraperitoneal com 0,1 ml de um macerado de baço em salina, rico em amastigotas. Esses animais foram sacrificados três meses após as inoculações, tendo sido realizado: cultura "in vitro" em meio acelular (LIT e NNN) e esfregaços, corados pelo Giemsa, de fígado, baço, medula óssea e sangue; cortes histológicos corados com hematoxilina-eosina de fígado e baço. Os resultados para fígado e baço foram: 67% de positividade nas culturas "in vitro"; esfregaços ricos em amastigotas intra e extra celular (inclui medula óssea); reações teciduais traduzidas por hepatomegalia com proliferação das células de Kupffer; reação granulomatosa das áreas portais, esplenomegalia com reações granulomatosas, abundância de formas amastigotas. Os resultados para o sangue foram negativos em todas as investigações.

In the current paper experimental infection of Calomys callosus with Leishmania donovani is reported for the first time. A group of 22 C. callosus aged 20 months and weighing 25 g were inoculated with 0.1 of a homogeneous saline preparation of infected spleens of homologous animals. The L. donovani strain used in the experiments was isolated from a case of human visceral leishmaniasis from the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The animals infected were weighed and killed 3 months after the experimental infection. Spleens and livers were also weighed and pieces from them were fixed in 10% formaline and stained with hematoxilin-eosin for histological studies. Impression smears stained with Giemsa were made and cultivation "in vitro" (NNN and LIT) was done, with material from blood, spleen, liver and bone marrow. At the end of the experiments the animals showed low of body weight. Splenomegaly was observed in all the inoculated animals. The "in vitro" cultures were positive from liver and spleen in 67% of the animals. Many extracellular and intracellular amastigote forms were seen in the smears of spleen, liver and bone marrow. Blood showed negative results. Histological studies of the liver showed proliferation of Kupffer cells and granulomatous reaction in the portal areas with multinucleated cells and amastigote forms of the parasites. Loss of folicular pattern with parasitism in great numbers of cells around which there were granulomatous reactions were observed in the spleen.

Foi descrita a infecção experimental em Calomys callosus com uma cepa de Leishmania donovani chagasi de caso humano. Um grupo de 22 roedores foi inoculado por via intraperitoneal com 0,1 ml de um macerado de baço em salina, rico em amastigotas. Esses animais foram sacrificados três meses após as inoculações, tendo sido realizado: cultura "in vitro" em meio acelular (LIT e NNN) e esfregaços, corados pelo Giemsa, de fígado, baço, medula óssea e sangue; cortes histológicos corados com hematoxilina-eosina de fígado e baço. Os resultados para fígado e baço foram: 67% de positividade nas culturas "in vitro"; esfregaços ricos em amastigotas intra e extra celular (inclui medula óssea); reações teciduais traduzidas por hepatomegalia com proliferação das células de Kupffer; reação granulomatosa das áreas portais, esplenomegalia com reações granulomatosas, abundância de formas amastigotas. Os resultados para o sangue foram negativos em todas as investigações.

In the current paper experimental infection of Calomys callosus with Leishmania donovani is reported for the first time. A group of 22 C. callosus aged 20 months and weighing 25 g were inoculated with 0.1 of a homogeneous saline preparation of infected spleens of homologous animals. The L. donovani strain used in the experiments was isolated from a case of human visceral leishmaniasis from the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The animals infected were weighed and killed 3 months after the experimental infection. Spleens and livers were also weighed and pieces from them were fixed in 10% formaline and stained with hematoxilin-eosin for histological studies. Impression smears stained with Giemsa were made and cultivation "in vitro" (NNN and LIT) was done, with material from blood, spleen, liver and bone marrow. At the end of the experiments the animals showed low of body weight. Splenomegaly was observed in all the inoculated animals. The "in vitro" cultures were positive from liver and spleen in 67% of the animals. Many extracellular and intracellular amastigote forms were seen in the smears of spleen, liver and bone marrow. Blood showed negative results. Histological studies of the liver showed proliferation of Kupffer cells and granulomatous reaction in the portal areas with multinucleated cells and amastigote forms of the parasites. Loss of folicular pattern with parasitism in great numbers of cells around which there were granulomatous reactions were observed in the spleen.

São apresentados resultados em relação a infecção expertmental de Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) com duas cepas de T. cruzi isoladas de casos humanos, Y e Berenice, e uma isolada de um triatomíneo silvestre, chamada costalimai. Foram realizados estudos em relação a evolução da parasitemia, duração da patência e prepatência da infecção. Com o objetivo de verificar a agressividade e tropismo tissular das cepas de T. cruzi nesta espécie de roedor, foram também realizados estudos histopatológicos. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os níveis de parasitemias foram baixos para as três cepas estudadas. A patência da infecção variou de 14 a 16 dias nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y, 26 a 29 dias com a Berenice e 9 a 13 dias com a costalimai. O período prepatente variou de 3 a 5 dias nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y, de 2 a 6 dias com a cepa Berenice e de 6 a 8 dias com a costalimai. As três cepas apresentaram em Z. lasiurus, comprometimento nitidamente muscular, provocando reações leves, moderadas e intensas.

Studies on the experimental infection of Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) are presented in the current paper. Three strains of T. cruzi were used in the experiments: two, Y and Berenice, were originated from human infection, while the third one was obtained from natural infection in a wild bug Triatoma costalimai. The evolution of the parasitemia was studied and the prepatent and patent periods determined. The tissular tropism and aggressiveness of the strains of T. cruzi were verified through histopathological studies. Results have shown that the parasitemia was always kept at low levels for all the strains. The prepatent period in the infected rodents varied from: 3 to 6 days in the Y strain; 2 to 6 days in the Berenice strain; 6 to 8 in the costalimai strain. The patent period showed the following duration patterns: 14 to 16 days in the Y strain; 26 to 29 in the Berenice strain and 6 to 8 days in the costalimai strain. Tissue damage was predominantly muscular, and the pathological reactions varied from slight to severe.

São apresentados resultados em relação a infecção expertmental de Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) com duas cepas de T. cruzi isoladas de casos humanos, Y e Berenice, e uma isolada de um triatomíneo silvestre, chamada costalimai. Foram realizados estudos em relação a evolução da parasitemia, duração da patência e prepatência da infecção. Com o objetivo de verificar a agressividade e tropismo tissular das cepas de T. cruzi nesta espécie de roedor, foram também realizados estudos histopatológicos. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os níveis de parasitemias foram baixos para as três cepas estudadas. A patência da infecção variou de 14 a 16 dias nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y, 26 a 29 dias com a Berenice e 9 a 13 dias com a costalimai. O período prepatente variou de 3 a 5 dias nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y, de 2 a 6 dias com a cepa Berenice e de 6 a 8 dias com a costalimai. As três cepas apresentaram em Z. lasiurus, comprometimento nitidamente muscular, provocando reações leves, moderadas e intensas.

Studies on the experimental infection of Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) are presented in the current paper. Three strains of T. cruzi were used in the experiments: two, Y and Berenice, were originated from human infection, while the third one was obtained from natural infection in a wild bug Triatoma costalimai. The evolution of the parasitemia was studied and the prepatent and patent periods determined. The tissular tropism and aggressiveness of the strains of T. cruzi were verified through histopathological studies. Results have shown that the parasitemia was always kept at low levels for all the strains. The prepatent period in the infected rodents varied from: 3 to 6 days in the Y strain; 2 to 6 days in the Berenice strain; 6 to 8 in the costalimai strain. The patent period showed the following duration patterns: 14 to 16 days in the Y strain; 26 to 29 in the Berenice strain and 6 to 8 days in the costalimai strain. Tissue damage was predominantly muscular, and the pathological reactions varied from slight to severe.

São apresentados resultados sobre a infecção experimental de Calomys callosus (Rodentia) e duas cepas (Y e Berenice) de Trypanosoma cruzi, isoladas de casos humanos. O estudo da evolução foi feito comparado com Mus musculus albino cepa "Swiss", quanto a prepatência, parasitemia, patência e letalidade. Análise histopatológica foi também conduzida em C. callosus, com o objetivo de verificar o tropismo tissular e agressividade das cepas neste roedor. Os experimentos mostraram que a evolução da infecção em C. Callosus foi diferente para as duas cepas de T. cruzi. A cepa Y apresentou maior parasitemia do que a cepa Berenice. O período prepatente variou com as doses utilizadas tendo sido mais curto nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y (2, 2-5, 2 dias) do que naquelas com a cepa Berenice (3, 2-7 dias). Embora as duas cepas inoculadas nos C. callosus tenham-se mostrado miotrópicas, as alterações tissulares foram mais acentuadas com a Y. Os resultados obtidos abrem perspectivas quanto à possibilidade do uso de C. callosus como animal experimental para T. cruzi.

An albino "swiss" strain of Mus musculus was used for comparison purposes with regard to the following parameters: parasitemia, prepatent period, patency of the infection and lethality. Histopathological studies were carried out with the aim of observing the tissue tropism and aggressiveness of T. cruzi against C. callosus. The experiments showed that the evolution of the infection in C. callosus was different according to the two T. cruzi strains utilized. They strain produced higher parasitemia than the Berenice strain. The prepatent period varied as a result of the inocula being shorter in the animals inoculated with the strain Y (2, 2-3, 2 days) than in those infected with the Berenice strain (3, 2-7, 0 days). Although both strains were shown to be myotropic, the tissue alterations were more pronounced in the animals inoculated with the Y strain. Results indicated the possibility that C. callosus may be used as experimental animals for T. cruzi infection.

São apresentados resultados sobre a infecção experimental de Calomys callosus (Rodentia) e duas cepas (Y e Berenice) de Trypanosoma cruzi, isoladas de casos humanos. O estudo da evolução foi feito comparado com Mus musculus albino cepa "Swiss", quanto a prepatência, parasitemia, patência e letalidade. Análise histopatológica foi também conduzida em C. callosus, com o objetivo de verificar o tropismo tissular e agressividade das cepas neste roedor. Os experimentos mostraram que a evolução da infecção em C. Callosus foi diferente para as duas cepas de T. cruzi. A cepa Y apresentou maior parasitemia do que a cepa Berenice. O período prepatente variou com as doses utilizadas tendo sido mais curto nos animais inoculados com a cepa Y (2, 2-5, 2 dias) do que naquelas com a cepa Berenice (3, 2-7 dias). Embora as duas cepas inoculadas nos C. callosus tenham-se mostrado miotrópicas, as alterações tissulares foram mais acentuadas com a Y. Os resultados obtidos abrem perspectivas quanto à possibilidade do uso de C. callosus como animal experimental para T. cruzi.

An albino "swiss" strain of Mus musculus was used for comparison purposes with regard to the following parameters: parasitemia, prepatent period, patency of the infection and lethality. Histopathological studies were carried out with the aim of observing the tissue tropism and aggressiveness of T. cruzi against C. callosus. The experiments showed that the evolution of the infection in C. callosus was different according to the two T. cruzi strains utilized. They strain produced higher parasitemia than the Berenice strain. The prepatent period varied as a result of the inocula being shorter in the animals inoculated with the strain Y (2, 2-3, 2 days) than in those infected with the Berenice strain (3, 2-7, 0 days). Although both strains were shown to be myotropic, the tissue alterations were more pronounced in the animals inoculated with the Y strain. Results indicated the possibility that C. callosus may be used as experimental animals for T. cruzi infection.