Eficácia do uso de fungos entomopatogênicos no controle de artrópodes ectoparasitas vetores de agentes infecciosos para humanos

Abstract

The kingdom fungi is composed of unicellular eukaryotes microorganisms, like the yeasts, or multicellular, such as filamentous fungi. The relations and interactions between these microorganisms and other living beings are diverse, they can be beneficial, neutral or harmful. In the harmful interactions, we can highlight the fungi that causes diseases in insects; these are classified as entomopathogenics. The infections caused by entomopathogenic fungi can vary on the infected organism, primarily occurring through the integument or digestive tract. The control of some arthropods ectoparasites such as fleas, lice, mites and ticks are of great interest of public health, due to the capacity of these organisms to act as vectors of various infectious agents. In Brazil the control of these ectoparasites through the production of mycopesticides, started in the year 1970. The biopesticides, mycoinsecticides and mycoacaricides can be produced utilizing propagules of entomopathogenic fungi, aiming to control the proliferation of insects (mycoinsecticides) and mites and/or ticks (mycoacaricides). Currently the mycopesticides are being used in agriculture, but are not well explored as a means to control the arthropods ectoparasites. In this context, the objective of this essay is to contribute to the knowledge, disclosure and, with that, the use of entomopathogenic fungi on the control of arthropods ectoparasites vectors of infectious agents to humans. To this end, a bibliographic review was fulfilled on various databases about entomopathogenic fungi.