Two-person teams searched domiciles and peridomiciles during one hour (30 minutes in each area) using a modification of the one-man-hour method previously described [6 (link),15 ]. Briefly, if no bugs were found after the initial 20-min search, the searches were continued for an additional 10 min with the use of 6% aqueous pyrethrin solution (PRENTOX, ExciteR, Prentiss Inc., Sandesville, GA, USA). This solution was hand-sprayed in cracks and crevices as an irritant to prompt the exit of triatomines and increase collection efficiency [16 (link)]. Collected triatomines were placed in individually labeled plastic containers and transported to either the field laboratory or the insectary of the Center for Infectious and Chronic Disease Research at Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in Quito. Details of the insects’ place of capture (intra- or peridomicile and microhabitat), species, number of insects found dead or alive, and insects’ developmental stages were noted by each team in the field and corroborated by trained entomologists at the field laboratory [17 ], [18 ]. If live triatomines were found in or around the domicile, both environments were sprayed. Kitchen wares, food, bedding, clothes, and personal items were removed from infested domiciles before complete indoor and outdoor spraying of all surfaces of the dwellings and peridomestic structures. Spraying was done with 5% deltamethrin WP that was applied at 25 mg/m2 by trained personnel from the National Chagas Control program using Hudson X-pert sprayers (H. D. Hudson Manufacturing Co., Houston, TX). We instructed inhabitants to leave bedding and clothes exposed to direct sunlight and not to enter the dwelling for at least one hour after the spraying. At the end of the day, each team stored the remaining insecticide and the water used to wash the spraying equipment in a plastic container for use the following day [15 ].
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