ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to monitor the presence of females of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) on the Seropédica municipality, Rio de Janeiro State, from 2010 to 2013. For this purpose, the Intelligent Dengue Monitoring (IM-Dengue) and Intelligent Virus Monitoring (IM-Virus) developed by Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Ecovec – Minas Gerais, Brazil), were used. IM-Dengue is a tool that allows achieving a weekly overview of A. aegypti infestation, while IM-Virus is another tool that allows detecting dengue virus directly from the mosquito, by Real Time-PCR. Both tools were developed for diagnosis in a prepathogenesis period of the disease, before infection occurrence. Traps were distributed in 19 locations inside the municipality and the bugs were collected weekly during the years of the research. As a result, the presence of 163 females of A. aegypti was recorded over the period; there was no circulation of the virus in the municipality. In one of the 19 study sites, a high degree of disease transmission risk was verified. The study concluded that the municipality, as a whole, showed no risk of disease transmission throughout the field research period.

Os parâmetros do ciclo biológico de Argas (Persicargas) miniatus, fase adulta, foram estudados em condições controladas (27±1°C e 80±10% UR) e em condições ambientais não controladas (ambiente de laboratório nas estações chuvosa e seca). Nessas condições, os machos se originaram preferencialmente de N2 e as fêmeas de N3. As fêmeas realizaram até 18 posturas (em condições controladas), enquanto que as fêmeas mantidas nas estações chuvosa e seca realizaram até 9 e 12 posturas, respectivamente. O número total de ovos foi 1350 (em condições controladas), 443 ovos na estação chuvosa e 894 ovos na estação seca. Em jejum, os carrapatos machos sobreviveram por 165 dias (condições controladas) e 135 dias em ambiente de laboratório; as fêmeas sobreviveram por 300 dias em condições controladas e 240 dias no ambiente de laboratório. Nas condições ambientais não controladas, os parâmetros biológicos do estágio adulto de Argas (Persicargas) miniatus sofreram alterações negativas, principalmente durante a estação chuvosa.

The life cycle of Argas (Persicargas) miniatus in adult stage was studied in controlled conditions (27±1°C and 80±10% RH) and uncontrolled temperature and humidity conditions (room conditions during wet and dry season). Males originated preferentially from N2 and females from N3. Females in controlled conditions laid eggs up to 18 times, while females in uncontrolled room conditions, during wet and dry seasons, laid eggs 9 to 12 times, respectively. In controlled conditions, females laid 1350 eggs, whereas in uncontrolled conditions females laid 443 eggs during the wet season and 894 eggs during the dry season. Male ticks survived without feeding for 165 days in controlled conditions and 135 days in uncontrolled conditions, while females survived for 300 days in controlled conditions and 240 days in uncontrolled conditions. In ambient conditions, biological parameters of Argas (Persicargas) miniatus adult stage were negatively affected especially during the wet season when compared with adult stage kept in controlled condition.

Os aspectos biológicos de ninfas de primeiro e segundo instares de Argas (Persicargas) miniatus quando submetidas a diferentes períodos de jejum (15, 30 e 60 dias), foram estudados em estufa climatizada (27 ± 1 ºC e 80 ± 10% de umidade relativa) e em ambiente de laboratório. Ninfas de primeiro instar que foram submetidas a um período de jejum de 15 e 30 dias mudaram para ninfas de segundo e terceiro instar, em ambas as condições estudadas. No período de 60 dias de jejum verificou-se mortalidade de 28 e 37% das ninfas de primeiro instar, em estufa climatizada e em ambiente de laboratório, respectivamente. As ninfas sobreviventes não se fixaram sobre os hospedeiros. As ninfas de segundo instar, após 60 dias de jejum, desenvolveram-se em ninfas de terceiro instar ou machos, quando alimentadas em Gallus gallus. Ainda neste grupo, as ninfas de terceiro instar mudaram para adultos (42,42 e 40,54% machos; 36,36 e 48,65% fêmeas, nas condições ambiente de laboratório e estufa climatizada, respectivamente) e o restante desenvolveu-se em ninfas de quarto instar que por sua vez mudaram para fêmeas. Então, a situação de jejum (60 dias) em que as ninfas foram submetidas determinou o número de ninfas no ciclo biológico de A. miniatus, sob as condições experimentais estudadas.

The current study investigated the biology of nymphs of the first and second instars of Argas (Persicargas) miniatus. Nymphs were deprived of food for 15, 30 or 60 days and held at 27 ± 1 ºC and 80 ± 10% relative humidity (controlled conditions) or at room conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Nymphs of first instar deprived of food for 15 or 30 days molted to second and third instars in both controlled and room conditions. Nymphs of the first instar deprived of food for 60 days had 28 and 37% mortality in controlled and room conditions, respectively; and survivors did not attach to the host. Nymphs of the second instar, deprived of food for 60 days, molted either to the third instar or to males after feeding on Gallus gallus, and the nymphs of the third instar developed to adults (42.42% males and 36.36% females when nymphs were held in controlled temperature and humidity conditions, and 40.54% males and 48.65% females when nymphs were held in room conditions). The remainder of the nymphs molted to the fourth instar and then molted to females. In conclusion, the nymphal starvation period of 60 days determined the number of nymph instars in the life cycle of A. miniatus under the experimental conditions studied.