615 Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 42(6):615-621, nov-dez, 2009 ARTIGO-ARTICLE Entomological surveillance of Chagas disease in Berilo municipality, Jequitinhonha Valley, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil Vigilância Entomológica da doença de Chagas no município de Berilo, Vale do Jequitinhonha, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil Girley Francisco Machado de Assis 1 , Bernardino Vaz de Mello Azeredo 2 , David Gorla 3 , Liléia Diotaiuti 4 and Marta de Lana 1,5 ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the Chagas Disease Control Program which has operated since 1982 in the municipality of Berilo in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil, based on evaluation of 5,242 domiciliary units (DUs) and 7,807 outbuildings over an eight-year period of epidemiological surveillance implanted in 1997. A total of 391 triatomines (280 Panstrongylus megistus and 111 Triatoma pseudomaculata) were captured, indicating the continued predominance of the former species. However, Triatoma pseudomaculata is clearly becoming more important in this region, with intradomiciliary colonies being detected in recent years. Entomological parameters, such as dispersion (17%) and intradomiciliary infestation (0.15%) indices, are compatible with the results of the epidemiological surveillance. The majority of DUs were of construction type A (plaster over bricks) or C (plaster over adobe). Twenty-five percent of the inhabitants of the DUs infested by triatomines were reactive in ELISA, IHA and IIF tests for Trypanosoma cruzi antigens. Key-words: Entomological surveillance. Chagas disease. Panstrongylus megistus. Triatoma pseudomaculata. Serological survey. RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o Programa de Controle de doença de Chagas instalado desde 1982 no município de Berilo, Vale do Jequitinhonha, MG, Brasil, baseado na avaliação de 5.242 unidades domiciliares e 7.807 anexos após oito anos de implantação da vigilância epidemiológica que ocorreu em 1997. Um total de 391 triatomíneos (280 Panstrongylus megistus e 111 Triatoma pseudomaculata) foram capturados, indicando o contínuo predomínio da primeira espécie. No entanto, Triatoma pseudomaculata está claramente se tornando mais importante nesta região, com colônias intradomiciliares sendo detectadas recentemente. Parâmetros entomológicos, como os índices de dispersão (17%) e infestação intradomiciliar (0,15%), são compatíveis com a fase de vigilância epidemiológica. A maioria das UDs apresenta padrão de construção tipo A (tijolo com reboco) e A maioria das UDs apresenta padrão de construção tipo A (tijolo com reboco) e C (adobe com reboco). Dentre os habitantes das unidades domiciliares infestadas por triatomíneos, 25% apresentavam testes reativos na ELISA, HAI e IFI para antígenos de Trypanosoma cruzi. Palavras-chaves: Vigilância entomológica. Doença de Chagas. Panstrongylus megistus. Triatoma pseudomaculata. Inquérito sorológico. 1. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG. 2. Fundação Nacional da Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Belo Horizonte, MG. 3. Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia Tecnolgica, Anillaco, La Rioja, Argentina. 4. Centro de Pesquisa René Rachou, Fundação Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte. MG. 5. Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG. Financial support: FAPEMIG, CNPq, SESU/MEC, UFOP. Address to: Dr. Girley Francisco Machado de Assis. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/ICEB/UFOP, Campus Universitário Morro do Cruzeiro, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil. Phone/Fax: 55 31 3559-1680 e-mail: girleyfrancisco@nupeb.ufop.br Recebido para publicação em 28/08/2009 Aceito em 17/11/2009 Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is the result of infection by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae). According to the World Health Organization, this disease is endemic to the Neotropics, where 13 million people from 15 countries are infected, showing an annual incidence and mortality of 200,000 and 50,000 cases, respectively. It is estimated that approximately 100 million people remain exposed to the risk of infection 21 . The triatomine species of major epidemiological importance in Minas Gerais is Panstrongylus megistus, a species endemic to this region that presents a great capacity to invade and colonize houses and their peridomiciles 10 . In contrast, Triatoma infestans was introduced to this state via São Paulo in the early 20 th century and subsequently disseminated northwards 3 . In 1940, Panstrongylus megistus was the triatomine species most often captured in Minas Gerais (79.8%), followed by Triatoma sordida (9.7%) and Triatoma infestans (9.3%) 10 . Although by that time Triatoma infestans was widely dispersed in southeastern Brazil, including the “Triângulo Mineiro” region, it was not recorded until 1950 in the north and northeast of Minas Gerais, which includes the Jequitinhonha Valley 14 15 . In the same year, Triatoma infestans was the triatomine species most often captured in Brazil (70.8%), with a