This objective of this work was to assess the knowledge of students in public schools about rabies and leishmaniasis, through educational interventions. A total of 628 questionnaires were applied in public students from Apodi, Felipe Guerra and Severiano Melo. The questionnaires were administered before and after the educational interventions in the form of lectures. The data were discussed through a descriptive analysis. Before the presentation, 53.9% of students claimed to know the transmission mode of leishmaniasis and after, this percentage increased to 92.2%. However, before the lectures, only 6.0% of respondents associated the transmission to sandflies, and after, this percentage increased to 75.7%. For rabies, before the lectures, 63.7% of students reported knowing how rabies is transmitted and, after the lectures, 92.8% said how it was the transmission. Concerning the transmission, before the presentations, 68.3% reported that it was through bite or injury of animals and, after the lectures, the index increased to 80.4%. In conclusion, the student´s perception of public education on rabies and leishmaniasis was higher in all aspects addressed after educational intervention compared to the same questions about the knowledge of the disease before the intervention. It also concludes that the perception of students for rabies is greater than for leishmaniasis.KEYWORDS: education, school, extension, public health, zoonoses.
CONHECIMENTO SOBRE A RAIVA E A LEISHMANIOSE EM ALUNOS DE ESCOLAS PÚBLICAS NOS MUNICÍPIOS DE APODI, FELIPE GUERRA E SEVERIANO MELO NO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE