Chagas disease (CD) has been considered endemic in the South of Rio Grande do Sul
(RS) State, Brazil. This study aimed at evaluating the occurrence of
Trypanosoma cruzi
vectors based on the main species
captured in Southern Rio Grande do Sul State from 2008 to 2019. The study area
comprised counties that belong to the 3
rd
Regional Health
Coordination (RHC) and to the 7
th
RHC, whose headquarters are in
Pelotas and Bage, respectively. The study was based on secondary data provided
by the partnership between the Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul
State (UFPel-RS) and the State Health Surveillance Center in RS (SCHS-RS). One
thousand and four hundred triatomines were captured in the area supervised by
the 3
rd
RHC, mainly in Cangucu (37.7%), Piratini (22.4%) and Pinheiro
Machado (15.1%), while, in the area supervised by the 7
th
RHC, the
largest number of triatomines was captured in Lavras do Sul (64.15%). In both
areas,
Triatoma rubrovaria
(90.6%) and
Panstrongylus
tupynambai
(7.4%) were the most common species. Most were captured
inside households but
T. cruzi
-positive insects were not found
in the period under study. The results of this study show that, in Southern Rio
Grande do Sul State, there is still a high rate of triatomine household invasion
and dispersal, mainly by
T. rubrovaria
. Thus, the entomological
surveillance should be maintained with the participation of the population and
further studies should be deepened in the area.