title: Experimental control of Triatoma infestans in poor rural villages of Bolivia through community participation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the southern cone countries. Present control strategies based on indoor and outdoor residual insecticide spraying are not sufficient to control disease transmission, particularly in Bolivia. Techniques based on the management of the human environment may be good alternatives or supplements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Social and entomological surveys were carried out in four villages of Bolivia situated in the dry inter-Andean Valleys and the Chaco region. Risk factors for house infestation by T. infestans were identified, and an eco-health intervention based on education and community participation was carried out to reduce the risks of house infestation. It consisted of implementing simple and low cost vector control techniques such as coating of mud walls, cleaning activities and removal of poultry that enter rooms to lay eggs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eco-health intervention significantly reduced the number of infested bedrooms, the mean abundance of T. infestans in bedrooms and beds, especially in the Chaco region. Mud wall coating was well accepted and could be proposed as a supplementary tool to the National Program of Chagas Disease Control to enhance the effects of insecticide sprayings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even if cleaning activities were still neglected, community participation proved to be effective in reducing house infestation.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Centre de Bolivie, C.P. 9214, Calle Hernando Siles no. 5290, esq. calle 7, Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia frederic.lardeux@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lardeux
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Centre de Bolivie, C.P. 9214, Calle Hernando Siles no. 5290, esq. calle 7, Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Depickère
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Centre de Bolivie, C.P. 9214, Calle Hernando Siles no. 5290, esq. calle 7, Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aliaga
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud (INLASA), Laboratorio de Entomología Medica, Calle Rafael Zubieta no. 1889 (lado estado mayor), Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Facultad de Humanidades, Carreras de Comunicación Social y Ciencias de la Educación, Avenida Busch, Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zambrana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007306:Insecticides; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014224:Triatoma / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides
keywords: Bolivia; Chagas disease; Community participation; Risk factor; Triatoma infestans; Vector control