The survival and molting incidence of fifth-instar nymphs of Panstrongylus megistus (Burmeister, 1835), a vector of Chagas' disease, were investigated following sequential heat shocks in which a mild shock (35 or 40°C, 1 h) preceded a more drastic one (40°C, 12 h). The shocks were separated by 8-,...

The survival and molting incidence of fifth-instar nymphs of Panstrongylus megistus (Burmeister, 1835), a vector of Chagas' disease, were investigated following sequential heat shocks in which a mild shock (35 or 40°C, 1 h) preceded a more drastic one (40°C, 12 h). The shocks were separated by 8-, 18-24-, or 72-h periods at 28°C. The heat-shock tolerance response was more effective when the first shock was given at 40°C. When the period between shocks was 18 h, the tolerance to sequential shocks (in terms of specimen survival) weakened, which suggested a transient control of the process that enables the organism to circumvent the unfavorable effects of severe shock. In terms of molting incidence, the heat-shock tolerance was only demonstrated when the period between the first shock at 40°C for 1 h and the second shock at 40°C for 12 h was =24 h. These results are the first to demonstrate the induction of heat-shock tolerance in a blood-sucking hemipteran

FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP

1998/0826-4; 1999/2547-8

CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ

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