Spraying food sources with pyrethroid to control peridomestic triatomines.

INTRODUCTION We attempted to supplement traditional insecticide spraying by treating peridomiciliar food sources with a powder formulation. METHODS Two groups of houses were treated with deltamethrin suspension concentrate (SC), one of which had its primary peridomestic food sources treated with deltamethrin 2P. RESULTS Triatoma brasiliensis was the most commonly captured triatomine. Birds, dogs and rodents were the major food sources identified by the precipitin reaction; 554 domestic animals received powder treatment. A sharp reduction in infestation rates was observed in the two groups up to 360 days after spraying. CONCLUSION The combination SC + 2P did not improve the control of triatomines.