Jociel Klleyton Santos Santana

A new genus and species of Emesinae, Paloma samantae gen. nov., sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), is described from the State of Ceará, Brazil, based on a single male specimen collected in proximity to palm trees. In addition to the taxonomic description, ecological notes on the habitat where the specimen was found are provided.

Bagriella meneguettii Gil-Santana and Oliveira, new species, is described based on a female specimen from Brazil. A revised diagnosis of Bagriella McAtee and Malloch, 1923 is provided, based on characters of both species of the genus, and it is recorded for the first time from South America. High-resolution photographs of the female holotype of Bagriella ornata McAtee and Malloch, 1923, the only previously known specimen of the genus, are presented.

Background: The majority of new cases of Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, have been associated with oral infection. Thus, it is reasonable that any vaccine formulation developed should elicit systemic and mucosal immunity. Methods: Antigen-specific T-cell, B-cell, antibody-secreting cell, IgG, IgA, cytokine, and parasite DNA were assessed in Balb/c mice immunized with a recombinant adenovirus replication-deficient vector encoding the parasitic trans-sialidase (rAdTS) and challenged with T. cruzi trypomastigotes. Results: A 2-dose intranasal (IN) rAdTS administration protected mice from lethal subcutaneous and oral parasitic challenges, displaying lower parasitemia and higher survival than control mice. Although intramuscular (IM) rAdTS immunization seemed more immunogenic for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, IN vaccinees presented the highest responses after parasite exposure. Oral parasitic challenge triggered differential cytokine and cytotoxic transcriptome profiles in the hearts of IM and IN vaccinees. IM and IN rAdTS vaccinations induced high TS-specific IgG and subclass titers in the serum, with predominance of IgG-secreting cells in the spleen and draining lymph nodes. Only IN vaccinees produced TS-specific IgA in mucosal tissues and serum, which showed inverse correlation with parasitemia in vivo. Serum samples from the IN rAdTS vaccinees significantly inhibited parasite invasion in vitro relative to IM counterparts. In addition, IN vaccinees had very low levels of parasite DNA in parasite-reservoir tissues upon oral parasitic challenge relative to IM counterparts. Conclusions: IN rAdTS vaccination can effectively protect mice against acute Chagas disease caused by lethal distinct T. cruzi challenges, providing an interesting alternative for future vaccine clinical trials.

Rhodnius represents a paraphyletic group, being R. prolixus one of the most important domestic vectors of the Chagas disease. Several phenotypic identification problems, as well as divergences between classical and molecular taxonomy, have been reported. Furthermore, phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies demonstrated possible introgression events between R. prolixus and R. robustus . Based on the above, we revisited all the literature on hybridization involving R. prolixus and performed interspecific crosses between R. prolixus and other species of the R. prolixus group ( R. nasutus , R. neivai , and R. robustus ) to evaluate potential reproductive barriers and discuss taxonomic and evolutionary issues related to intra- and interspecific reproductive isolation. With the exception of the cross between R. prolixus females and R. neivai males, all other combinations resulted in hybrid offspring. Moreover, except for the cross between R. prolixus females and R. robustus males, all other combinations exhibited postzygotic barriers, including inviability, sterility and/or hybrid collapse. These results indicate that, in at least one direction, R. nasutus , R. neivai , and R. robustus are reproductively isolated from R. prolixus , confirming the specific status of the four taxa. Furthermore, based on the observed barriers, we suggest that introgression is unlikely between R. prolixus and R. nasutus , unlike R. neivai and R. robustus , which could exchange genetic material with R. prolixus through introgression, under natural conditions. Finally, we discuss all available literature on intra- and interspecific crosses of R. prolixus , demonstrating that R. pictipes and R. neglectus are also reproductively isolated from R. prolixus . Additionally, we highlight reproductive barriers observed between allopatric populations of R. prolixus , emphasizing the need for a phylogenomic study – including field-collected specimens sampled across the entire distribution of R. prolixus – to clarify evolutionary and taxonomic questions.

Records of infections by Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) have been occurring in the last decade in Sergipe, Brazil. The capital, Aracaju, alone accounted for 44% of the total cases of the state for the visceral form between 2007 and 2016, with high numbers also in other municipalities that make up the metropolitan region. In this sense, this work aimed to carry out entomological surveillance actions in the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Aracaju and evaluate the characteristics of the peri‐domestic environments that contribute to the maintenance of species richness and abundance. Entomological captures were carried out between 2021 and 2022 with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)‐type traps for three consecutive nights between twilight and dawn at the beginning of the dry and rainy periods in the peri‐domestic area of residences in neighbourhoods peri‐urban in the municipalities in the metropolitan region: Aracaju, Barra dos Coqueiros, Nossa Senhora do Socorro and São Cristóvão. The characteristics around the houses were also recorded in a field diary. Constancy, dominance for all species, the household infestation rate and the relative abundance index of the vector for epidemiologically interesting species were calculated. Chi‐square tests and multivariate analyses of variance were also performed to search for associations between the vectors and aspects of the dwellings. In total, 752 phlebotomines were captured at 64 collection points. Seven species of phlebotomines were identified, including Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912), Evandromyia lenti (Mangabeira, 1938) and Migonemyia migonei (França, 1920). The vector Lu. longipalpis was the species that showed the highest infestation in residences. The results also reveal a sex‐specific association influenced by vegetation size, suggesting that denser vegetation may promote male aggregation, a behavioural trait that could be explored in the development of targeted vector control strategies. No significant association was recorded between abundance and environmental factors, which may be related to the difficulty of measuring this association in a heterogeneous environment with so many anthropic interferences in the urbanisation process. By evidencing the influence of ecological factors such as vegetation size on vector behaviour, this study offers insights to enhance leishmaniasis control strategies in Sergipe.

Bed bugs are hematophagous bugs of wide distribution in the world, responsible for both economic and public health damage. In Brazil, records of their occurrences are neglected, with those reported located in the Northeast and Southeast regions, mostly in metropolitan areas. Therefore, the objective of this study was to report the occurrence of Bed bugs in the municipality of Cafelândia, in the interior of the state of Paraná. Between February and March 2024, two residents of Cafelândia sent small hematophagous insects found inside their homes to the Paraná State Department of Health. Later, these insects were identified as C. lectularius. This is the first record of C. lectularius for the southern region of Brazil, consequently for the state of Paraná. This report expands the distribution area of C. lectularius in Brazil, in addition, it is essential for monitoring and decision-making for the control of these insects. KEY WORDS: bedbug; citizen science, ectoparasitic infestations, epidemiological surveillance, monitoring