[Knowledge, opinions, and practices regarding Aedes aegypti]

The active participation of the community is indispensable for reducing Aedes aegypti mosquito populations so causes leading to their growth, actions taken, effects on the health and the people in charge of controlling such mosquitoes are all dealt with in this paper. 210 persons were interviewed from June 25 to 27, 1997. The causes of the growth of the mosquito population were: excessive garbage (59%), dirty waters (58%), open water reservoirs (50%) and lack of fumigation (21%). 40% of interviewed people did not know that these vectors can breed even in clean waters. They mentioned some effects on the health due to the mosquito bites. 51% said that mosquitoes should be jointly controlled by the State and the community but 35% believed that the State should be the sole responsible for this task. These opinions may determine that steps are not properly taken to avoid proliferation of vector and that the activities of the anti-vector program are not really understood since they do not meet the expectations.