Resumo A participação comunitária é a principal estratégia para a manutenção da vigilância entomológica da doença de Chagas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar conhecimentos sobre triatomíneos e a doença de Chagas entre moradores de oito localidades de Diamantina, Minas Gerais, atentando a uma eventual relação entre os conhecimentos e a infestação vetorial. Para avaliação dos conhecimentos foi aplicado questionário com questões fechadas e abertas a 583 moradores com idade igual ou superior a dez anos e, para avaliar a capacidade de reconhecimento de triatomíneos, foi apresentado mostruário com insetos. As respostas às questões fechadas foram analisadas quanto à frequência e associação com a infestação triatomínica. As respostas às questões abertas foram organizadas em eixos temáticos e analisadas descritivamente. Embora a capacidade de reconhecer os triatomíneos não tenha sido associada à infestação das localidades, os residentes em áreas com maior infestação demonstraram conhecer melhor os serviços de referência e a necessidade de encaminhar os insetos a estes. Não foi observada associação entre a infestação triatomínica e os conhecimentos sobre a doença de Chagas. Os resultados ora apresentados podem orientar ações de educação em saúde voltadas para a participação da comunidade na notificação de triatomíneos.

Abstract Community participation is the main strategy to sustainability of Chagas disease entomological surveillance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge on triatomine insects and Chagas disease among the residents from eight localities of Diamantina, in Minas Gerais, with a view to observing any associations between their knowledge and infestations by triatomines. In order to evaluate this knowledge, questionnaires were used containing both closed and open questions. They were applied to 583 residents who were ten years old or over. To establish if they could recognize the triatomine insect, they were given samples to look at. The responses to the closed questions were analyzed with reference to any frequencies of and associations with infestations involving this insect. The responses to the questions were organized into different thematic areas and were descriptively analyzed. Although the resident’s ability to recognize the triatomine insect was not associated with the infestation of the localities, the residents in the areas that had higher infestations showed that they had a good knowledge of the available support services and the need to send the insects to them. We did not observe any associations between triatomine infestations and knowledge of Chagas disease. The results of this study can provide guidance on education that can be given by the health services to the community in order to encourage them to provide notifications of the triatomine insects.

Resumo A participação comunitária é a principal estratégia para a manutenção da vigilância entomológica da doença de Chagas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar conhecimentos sobre triatomíneos e a doença de Chagas entre moradores de oito localidades de Diamantina, Minas Gerais, atentando a uma eventual relação entre os conhecimentos e a infestação vetorial. Para avaliação dos conhecimentos foi aplicado questionário com questões fechadas e abertas a 583 moradores com idade igual ou superior a dez anos e, para avaliar a capacidade de reconhecimento de triatomíneos, foi apresentado mostruário com insetos. As respostas às questões fechadas foram analisadas quanto à frequência e associação com a infestação triatomínica. As respostas às questões abertas foram organizadas em eixos temáticos e analisadas descritivamente. Embora a capacidade de reconhecer os triatomíneos não tenha sido associada à infestação das localidades, os residentes em áreas com maior infestação demonstraram conhecer melhor os serviços de referência e a necessidade de encaminhar os insetos a estes. Não foi observada associação entre a infestação triatomínica e os conhecimentos sobre a doença de Chagas. Os resultados ora apresentados podem orientar ações de educação em saúde voltadas para a participação da comunidade na notificação de triatomíneos.

Abstract Community participation is the main strategy to sustainability of Chagas disease entomological surveillance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge on triatomine insects and Chagas disease among the residents from eight localities of Diamantina, in Minas Gerais, with a view to observing any associations between their knowledge and infestations by triatomines. In order to evaluate this knowledge, questionnaires were used containing both closed and open questions. They were applied to 583 residents who were ten years old or over. To establish if they could recognize the triatomine insect, they were given samples to look at. The responses to the closed questions were analyzed with reference to any frequencies of and associations with infestations involving this insect. The responses to the questions were organized into different thematic areas and were descriptively analyzed. Although the resident’s ability to recognize the triatomine insect was not associated with the infestation of the localities, the residents in the areas that had higher infestations showed that they had a good knowledge of the available support services and the need to send the insects to them. We did not observe any associations between triatomine infestations and knowledge of Chagas disease. The results of this study can provide guidance on education that can be given by the health services to the community in order to encourage them to provide notifications of the triatomine insects.

Reports of triatomine infestation in urban areas have increased. We analysed the spatial distribution of infestation by triatomines in the urban area of Diamantina, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Triatomines were obtained by community-based entomological surveillance. Spatial patterns of infestation were analysed by Ripley’s K function and Kernel density estimator. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land cover derived from satellite imagery were compared between infested and uninfested areas. A total of 140 adults of four species were captured (100 Triatoma vitticeps, 25Panstrongylus geniculatus, 8 Panstrongylus megistus, and 7 Triatoma arthurneivai specimens). In total, 87.9% were captured within domiciles. Infection by trypanosomes was observed in 19.6% of 107 examined insects. The spatial distributions ofT. vitticeps, P. geniculatus, T. arthurneivai, and trypanosome-positive triatomines were clustered, occurring mainly in peripheral areas. NDVI values were statistically higher in areas infested by T. vitticeps and P. geniculatus. Buildings infested by these species were located closer to open fields, whereas infestations of P. megistus andT. arthurneivai were closer to bare soil. Human occupation and modification of natural areas may be involved in triatomine invasion, exposing the population to these vectors.