Knowledge of triatomine insects and of the Chagas disease among people from localities which have different levels of vector infestations.

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.