Experimentos con el insecticida dieldrín en la lucha antitriatomídea

Abstract

(1) Chagas' diseasae has been demonstrated to be one of the most important public health problems in Guatemalan rural areas. Sanitary measures against this endemia should be directed towards the basic improvement of rural houses and eradication of the vectors R. prolixus and T. dimidata

The Tropical Diseases Research Department of Guatemala and the Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social have performed laboratory and field experiments with Dieldrin, chlorinated organic insecticide, for the control of Tratominae. This paper is a preliminary report of these experiments

(2) Laboratory experiments have demonstrated full efficacy of Dieldrin against the two main Triatominae species of the country. The eggs are not affected in the treated insects. The larvae, nymphs and imagos are 100 per cent affected by minimal contact (10 minutes) up to the maximal contact (3 hours). The symptoms of Dieldrin intoxication, ioncoordination, paralysis, abdominal distension and death were produced in variable lapses of time. Death took place within 48 hours to 17 days. Triatoma dimidiata nymphs were the most resistant insects

(3) In the field experiments 396 houses of Cuilapa, Sta. Rosa Department, were sprayed. In this area the Triatominae infestation index of the houses was 68 per cent (70 per cent by T. dimidata and 30 per cent by R. prolixus)

The insecticide was applied as 33 per cent dilution ...(AU)