Epidemiological profile of leptospirosis in Brazil from 2018 to 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17058/reci.v15i3.20097Keywords:
Health Profile, Epidemiology, Leptospirosis, Deaths, BrazilAbstract
Background and Objectives: Leptospirosis is caused by the bacterium Leptospira, which is transmitted in rainy weather. The disease has different manifestations depending on how it develops, and can lead to death. Early detection can prevent serious developments, but there is limited information and standardization of the most affected profile. The objective of this study was to identify the epidemiological profile of leptospirosis from 2018 to 2023 in Brazil. Methods: a quantitative study, ecological, with secondary data collection from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and the SUS Hospital Admissions System, using Tabnet/Datasus, using the following variables: gender, age group, race, schooling, disease progression, years and region of notification. Results: there were 16,866 notifications and 1,586 deaths from leptospirosis in Brazil in the period analyzed, with 56.03% of cases progressing to hospitalization and 9.40% to death. The profile most affected was male, aged between 20 and 59, brown, with completed high school. Incidence and mortality rates prevailed in the South, but the fatality rate was higher in the Northeast. Conclusion: Although more than half of leptospirosis cases progress to hospitalization, patients have more than an 80% chance of cure. Therefore, this study helped in the more current recognition of leptospirosis cases, in order to contribute to policies to prevent and control the disease.
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