| Abstract: | The role played by different mammal species in the maintenance of Trypanosomacruzi is not constant and varies in time and place. This study aimed tocharacterise the importance of domestic, wild and peridomestic hosts in thetransmission of T. cruzi in Tauá, state of Ceará, Caatinga area,Brazil, with an emphasis on those environments colonised by Triatomabrasiliensis. Direct parasitological examinations were performed oninsects and mammals, serologic tests were performed on household and outdoor mammalsand multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used on wild mammals. Cytochrome b wasused as a food source for wild insects. The serum prevalence in dogs was 38% (20/53),while in pigs it was 6% (2/34). The percentages of the most abundantly infected wildanimals were as follows: Thrichomys laurentius 74% (83/112)and Kerodon rupestris 10% (11/112). Of the 749 triatominescollected in the household research, 49.3% (369/749) were positive for T.brasiliensis, while 6.8% were infected with T. cruzi(25/369). In captured animals, T. brasiliensis shares anatural environment with T. laurentius, K.rupestris, Didelphis albiventris, Monodelphisdomestica, Galea spixii, Wiedomyspyrrhorhinos, Conepatus semistriatus and Musmusculus. In animals identified via their foodsource, T. brasiliensis shares a natural environment withG. spixii, K. rupestris, Capra hircus, Gallusgallus, Tropidurus oreadicus and Tupinambis merianae.The high prevalence of T. cruzi in household and peridomiciliaranimals reinforces the narrow relationship between the enzootic cycle and humans inenvironments with T. brasiliensis and characterises it asubiquitous. |
