COMMUNITY RECOGNITION OF CHAGAS DISEASE TRANSMITTING VECTORS. AN EXPERIENCE IN SANTA ELENA, ECUADOR.

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1594282419034

• Palavras-chave: --

• Keywords: identification, arthropods, spread, Trypanosomiasis, population.

• Abstract: Chagas disease is a chronic systemic infectious disease caused by a flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. This research had as main objectives: to identify the location of the triatomine in the sampling unit (house), to recognize the species of vectors in the commune and the knowledge of the disease, to relate the number of inhabitants per house with the number of people who have been bitten by the triatomine in the commune. A descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional field study was carried out in the Febres Cordero community, which is part of the Colonche parish, located in the province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. The sample was calculated with an error margin of 5% and a confidence level of 95%, corresponding to 241 households. For the recognition of Chagas disease vectors, the research team prepared brochures with images of the main five vectors and a technical sheet for the collection of information. The most identified triatomine bug by the inhabitants was the species Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in the interior of the dwellings (n=26; 76.47%) and also in the peridomicile (n=11: 55.0%). A higher frequency of bites (triatomine-human interaction) was found in dwellings inhabited by 5 people (n=5; 55.56%). Out of a total of 9 people who reported having been bitten by the vector, three of them reported sick family members. This study represents the first participatory work carried out together with the rural community that promotes the recognition of the transmitting vectors and deepens the knowledge of Chagas disease.