BackgroundArboviruses pose a serious and constant threat to public health, and have demanded surveillance efforts worldwide. The prevention of arbovirus transmission depends on effective measures to control vectors and promote health. The objective of this study was to examine the factors that enhance and impair the endemic disease control agents’ field work, based on their own perspective.Methodology and main findingsIn 2017, 65 ACE of seven municipalities participated in a series of seven focus groups in the Zona de Mata mesoregion (Minas Gerais, Brazil). The focus groups were organized aiming to broaden and deepen the discussion and analysis of ACE perception of their performance in relation to attributions, work processes, training, continuous education, and evaluation. All the workers, irrespective of municipality, recognize their role in disease prevention and health promotion, however they suffer from a reductionist stigma associated with their profession. Also, internal and external factors such as infrastructure, resources, administrative management, and the work process affect the quality of service delivered and job satisfaction. Practice challenges include incompatible demands such as refusal by residents and high sense of insecurity related to violence. The respondents reported that success of their activities depend on the population.Conclusions/SignificanceThe recurrence of epidemics demands effective vector control policies. Therefore, the performance of these professionals as regards surveillance needs to be reassessed. Public awareness and acknowledgement of the role of ACE in the identification of risk and health protection factors are indispensable for the improvement of this workforce.

RESUMO -(Comparações do crescimento de plântulas entre três variedades co-ocorrentes de Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze em condições de casa de vegetação). Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze é uma espécie de porte alto e vida longa, que cresce como árvore emergente em fl orestas de araucária no sul do Brasil. Quatro variedades foram descritas para esta espécie, e três delas foram selecionadas para este estudo: "angustifolia" (variedade típica), "caiova" e "indehiscens". Estas variedades co-ocorrentes diferem umas das outras na coloração externa de suas sementes e em relação ao tempo de maturação das mesmas. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o crescimento inicial de plantas oriundas de sementes destas três variedades, a fi m de testar a hipótese de que estas variedades também diferem no crescimento inicial das plântulas. As sementes foram coletadas em um mesmo local da fl oresta, e 60 plantas de cada variedade foram cultivadas em vasos por um período de 244 dias. A variedade "angustifolia" acumulou signifi cativamente mais massa (tanto na parte aérea quanto na raiz) do que as outras duas, mas as três variedades não diferiram na partição de massa entre parte aérea e raiz e entre raízes laterais e a raiz principal. O maior crescimento da variedade típica pode ajudar a explicar a sua maior abundância natural, uma vez que um maior tamanho inicial teria efeitos positivos sobre o recrutamento e sobrevivência da mesma. Palavras-chave: Araucariaceae, pinheiro brasileiro, pinheiro macaco, pinheiro caiova, variação fenotípica ABSTRACT -(Comparison of seedling growth among three co-occurring varieties of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze under greenhouse conditions).Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze is a tall, long-lived tree species, which grows as an emergent tree in the araucaria forests of southern Brazil. Four varieties have been described for this species, and three of them were selected for this study: "angustifolia" (the type variety), "caiova" and "indehiscens". These are co-occurring varieties that differ in external seed color and timing of seed maturation. The purpose of this study was to compare the initial growth of plants originated from seeds of these three varieties, in order to test the hypothesis that these varieties also differ in the initial growth of their seedlings. Seeds were collected from a single forest location, and 60 plants per variety were grown in pots for a period of 244 days. The "angustifolia" variety accumulated signifi cantly more mass (both in shoot and root) than the other two, but the three varieties did not differ in mass allocation between shoot and root and between lateral roots and the main root. The greater growth of the type variety may help explain its greater natural abundance, since attaining a larger size will have positive effects on seedling recruitment and survival.