scholarly journals Evaluation of the possible role of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as mechanical vectors of nematodes and protists

2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 923-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Villani ◽  
Maria Santina de Castro Morini ◽  
Marco Antonio Franco ◽  
Odair Correa Bueno

Nematodes and protists can be transmitted to humans in many ways and little concern has been given to the mechanical transmission by ants. This study aimed at analysing how the eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides and cysts of Entamoeba coli could be mechanically transmitted to the man by Formicidae. Through the experiments using nests of Tapinoma melanocephalum, Linepithema humile and Monomorium pharaonis reared in the laboratory allied to observations of some 17 ant species in an urban park area in Mogi das Cruzes (SP), it was found that L. humile was capable of carrying eggs of A. lumbricoides both in the field and laboratory conditions (1 worker), as well as was Camponotus rufipes (2), Solenopsis saevissima (1) and Acromyrmex niger (1). The cysts of Escherichia coli were found over three workers of C. rufipes. Although the frequency of the workers found transporting pathogens was low, the capacity of common household species in carrying pathogens like nematodes and protists was demonstrated.

2009 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 665-671
Author(s):  
J.S.S Rando ◽  
L.S. Matsumoto ◽  
G.V. Silva ◽  
A.F.A. Quirino ◽  
R.E. Haddad

RESUMO As formigas urbanas são consideradas um problema grave na saúde pública pela capacidade de ocupar todos os ambientes e por serem vetores mecânicos de micro-organismos. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo verificar as espécies que ocorrem em estabelecimentos ligados a área da saúde, bem como os microrganismos veiculados por essas espécies. Em um total de 1.629 coletas realizadas de outubro a dezembro de 2007em um hospital, na Secretaria de Saúde e em um laboratório de análises clinicas, utilizando-se iscas atrativas não tóxicas, as seguintes espécies foram registradas foram registradas: Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793); Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758); Paratrechina fulva (Mayr, 1862); Pheidole triconstricta Forel, 1886; Pheidole sp.1; Pheidole sp.2; Pheidole sp.3; Pheidole sp.4; Camponotus atriceps (Fr.Smith, 1858); Brachymyrmex sp.; Dorymyrmex sp. Como micro-organismos constatou-se a presença de bactérias: Staphylococcus sp.; Serratia sp.; Klebsiella sp.; Escherichia coli; Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas sp. e de fungos Cladosporium sp.; Fusarium sp.; Trichophyton sp.; Aspergillus sp. e Penicillium sp. além de leveduras.


1988 ◽  
Vol 263 (19) ◽  
pp. 9187-9198 ◽  
Author(s):  
J R Appleman ◽  
E E Howell ◽  
J Kraut ◽  
M Kühl ◽  
R L Blakley

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