José Ramiro Botelho

Interrelationship between Ectoparasites and Wild Rodents from Tijucas do Sul, State of Paraná, Brazil

Sixteen species of ectoparasites were collected from 50 wild rodents, from August 1990 to August 1991, in an area of Araucaria augustifolia forest, in the municipality of Tijucas do Sul, State of Paraná, Brazil. Ectoparasites infested 98% of the rodents, with the highest indices of infestation found in the drycool season. Species that occurred in single or multiple infestations were recorded. Ectoparasite/host associations were significant (p < 0.01) for Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni/Oryzomys nigripes, Polygenis pradoi/Oxymycterus sp. and Amblyopinus sp./Oxymycterus sp. The following represent new host records: Polygenis (Polygenis) tripus from Akodon serrensis and Hoplopleura sciuricola from Sciurus aestuans. New geographic records are given for two species of flea and one sucking lice.

Prevalence of Trypanosoma lewisi in Rattus norvegicus from Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

From April 1984 to March 1985, a Trypanosoma lewisi prevalence of 21.7% was found in 429 Rattus norvegicus trapped in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The infection rates were higher in male and young rats and could be attributed to ecological and behavioral factors. T. lewisi was observed in rats measuring between 60 and 250 mm. Data about monthly T. lewisi infections throughout the year are presented for the first time in Brazil, with the highest prevalences observed in the warm-rainy season (October to March).

Ectoparasitos de roedores da região urbana de Belo Horizonte, MG: III. Indices pulicidianos, anoplurianos e acarianos em Rattus Norvegicus norvegicus

The total and specific indices of fleas, lice and mites were determined for ectoparasites on Rattus norvegicus norvegicus capture in urban areas of Belo Horizonte, Minas state, Brazil, from June 1980 to September 1982. In view of the limiting or critical values attributed to flea indices above all the [quot ]cheopis[quot ] index, proposed by several authors as a complementary measure for bubonic plague surveillance, the community of Belo Horizonte would have been exposed to this infection. The annual total indices ranged from 0.3 to 2.4 and the prevalent flea was Xenopsylla cheopis (99.2%), with the highest indices coinciding with the late dry-cool season. On two occasions, in this period, the community would have remained highly exposed to infection, since the index-limits were superseded: 8.8 (October 1980) and 6.2 (September 1982). It is suggested that preventive measures, such as protection against rat insecticide treatment may be efficiently applied in the late dry-cool season, or previous to the rainy season, before the elimination of rats. Reports on indices of lice and mites are important as they may establish index-limits for certain infections exclusive to rodents.

Pediculose capitis: prevalência em escolares da Rede Municipal Pública de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil

During 1985, 50,356 children and adolecents from 105 public schools of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State were questioned about or examined for head lice (Pediculus capitis). The mean prevalence of pediculosis, obtainde from the questionnaires and sometimes confirmed by head inspections, was 7.7% or else 10.2% when adjusted to 38,311 respondents. Current and past infestations combined - within a period of three months before survey - revealed a total prevalence of 57.4%. Significant differences were observed among socioeconomic levels, and grades of school age. The more prevalent categories among the factors studied were: sex - femal: 9.2% (P<0.001); ethnic group - white: 10.0% (P<0.001); hair length - long: 9.5% (P<0.05); year age-group - 1-5 years: 19.2% (P<0.001), with a peak in the 5th year (21.3%).

Ectoparasitos de roedores da região urbana de Belo Horizonte, MG. I. Interação entre ectoparasitos e hospedeiros

A rodent ectoparasite survey was made in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from June 1980 to September 1982. The species of ectoparasites captured from 950 Rattus norvegicus norvegicus were: Xenopsylla cheopis, Ctenocephalides felis felis, Polyplax spinulosa, Laelaps nuttalli, Echinolaelaps echidninus and Atricholaelaps glasgowi, the last species only represented by three specimens interchanged with wild rodent. P. spinulosa and L. nuttalli, although cosmopolitan, are recorded for the first time in State of Minas Gerais. The sex ratio of the ectoparasites, as well as the prevalence of fleas, mites and lice on the separate sexes of rodents are presented. 66.9% of the rats were infested by mites, almost twice more than infestations by fleas and louse jointly (39%). L. nuttalli was found in great numbers and presented the highest index of infestation: 55.1%. Single infestations are as commom as associated ones. P. spinulosa, contrary to L. nuttalli, rarely occurs in single infestation. Data on the distribution of the ectoparasites on the rodents are also reported. The infestation observed in Belo Horizonteis confronted with those obtained by other authors in different places.

Prevalence of nits and lice in sampls of cut hair from floors of barbershop and beauty parlors in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, Brazil

A louse survey based on samples of cut hair collected from floors of barbershops and beauty parlors was conducted in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from October 1984 to April 1985, as an alternative way to determine the prevalence of pediculosis capitis in the population. Of 475 samples examined for nits, nymphs, or adults of Pediculus capitis, 140 were infested (29.5%). A total of 58 lice and 3,553 nits were found in 33,632.9 g of hair collected, giving a ratio of 0.10 nit/g. Almost 29% of the nits were viable and capable of being transmitted after hatching. There was significant difference among the infestation rates by socioeconomic levels, and samples from barbershops with male customers were the most infested. Based upon the number of haircuts in each sample, we estimated that 5 or 6% of the population might be infested by this species.

Alguns hospedeiros reais de ectoparasitos do município de Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brasil

The authors determined the true hosts of six species of ectoparasites in Caratinga county, Minas Gerais, Brazil, being four species of mites and two species of fleas.

Sobre alguns ectoparasitos de roedores silvestres do município de caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brasil: II. Acarofauna

The authors captured mites from wild rodents in the county of Caratinga, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, between April 1976 and march 1977. One hundred and sixty-nine wild rodents of 10 species were captured and 2444 mites of 11 species were collected. Eubrachylaelaps rotundus was the predominant mite being captured mainly from rodents of the genus Akodon. Twenty-three host records are presented with Atricholaelaps guimaraesi appearing for the first time on six species of rodents.

Infestaçäo por Pediculus humanus (Anoplura: Pediculidae) no Município de Säo Paulo, SP, Brasil

Adults, nymphs and nits of the Pediculus humanus were found in a frame-house infesting the clothes and bedding of three inhabitants in a shanty town in S. Paulo county, S. Paulo State. A total of 198 nits were found glued in 15.0 cm2 of fibres of the infested clothing, giving a ratio of 13.2 nits/cm2. Having in view that the precarious living conditions, promiscuity, absence of basic sanitation and negligence of the sanitary authorities in various Brazilian cities, this situation should not be underestimated. This find should be more frequent than an isolated observation.

Ectoparasitos de pequenos mamíferos da Ilha de Maracá, Roraima, Brasil. I. Ectoparasitofauna, registros geográficos e de hospedeiros.

Um levantamento de ectoparasitos de pequenos mamiferos foi realizado na ilha de Ma-raca, Roraima, Bnasil, durante tres distintos periodos entre novembro de 1987 a fevereiro de 1989, tendo sido colecionados 1. 774 exemplares retirados de 51 roedores e 3 marsupiais. Os numeros e a distribuicao por sexo das especies de ectoparasitos encontrados sao apresentados. Novos registros de hospedeiros sao dados pana Androlaelaps fahrenhol zi, Gigantolaelaps goyanensis, Laelaps flexa, Laelaps paulistanensise Tur aymara.Todas as especies de ectoparasiZos sao registradas pela primeira vez no Estado de Rorai ma. Excetuando-se Amblyomma.sp., Cummingsiasp., Hoplopleura splendida, Polygenis kla-gesi klagesi, Polygenis klagesi samuelise Rhopalopsyllus australisssp. as demais espe-cies sao assinaladas pela primeira vez na Amazonia brasileira. L. flexa, Tur amazonicus, Turapicalis, Τ. aymanae Gliricola venezuelanustambem constituem novos negistros pora o Bnasil. Duas novas especies de. ectoparasitos - uma de acaro, outra de malofogo-foram, tambem, encontradas.