American tegumentary leishmaniosis (ATL) is an important zoonosis in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and it represents an increasing public health problem. The municipality of Paraty is an endemic area, where 76 human cases were reported in 2002. In June of 2002 the Municipal Health Department had started an ATL control program, according with methodologies recommended by National Health Foundation (FUNASA) on the ATL Control Manual of 2000. The control strategies were based on capture of sandflies in Atlantic Forest areas and identification of vectors species, chemical control of vectors through periodic domiciliary and peridomiciliary insecticide application, serological investigation of suspect dogs and elimination of infected dogs, rodents control, investigation of new possible cases and educational measures to the local community. This paper presents the municipality of Paraty experience on implanting a control program of ATL and its efficiency. After the adoption of these measures, it had occurred 52 new cases in 2003. This result indicates that there was a decrease of 31,6%, in relation to the cases reported on 2002.