Epidemiological and geographical characterization of leprosy in a Brazilian hyperendemic municipality

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the distribution pattern of leprosy in a hyperendemic municipality in Brazil and determine its relationship with the clinico-epidemiological situation over 11 years. The geographic information system, MapInfo, spatial scan statistics and the Moran I index were used to analyze new cases. The digital cartographic base was used to map clusters of new paucibacillary and multibacillary cases and cases in minors under 15 years old. Socioeconomic indicators are shown using the choropleth mapping technique. A reduction in the detection coefficient, increases in high-risk spatial clusters, marked changes in the distribution of high-risk and low-risk clusters, and high-risk clusters of minors under 15 years old were observed from 2006 to 2010, showing recent illness, the presence of active foci, and overlapping of high-risk clusters of multibacillary infection in minors under 15 years old. Leprosy remains a public health problem in Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso State; the high-risk areas require an intensification of control measures and active search strategies to detect new cases.

Trends and forecasts of leprosy for a hyperendemic city from Brazil’s northeast: Evidence from an eleven-year time-series analysis

“…In this context, largest proportion of cases were male, which is in agreement with data provided in the literature, in which those affected by the disease in most world regions are predominately male, including in Brazil [ 27 – 29 ]. The time series of the ratio between the detection rates of men and women showed, over time, the detection rates in men are higher than that of women, reaching, at the end of the study period, a ratio of about 4: 1.…”

“…Considering the demographic and social characteristics of the study context, the city is presenting rapid demographic growth, attracting immigrants from the north and northeast of the country due to its local economy, which may be influencing the hyperendemicity of the region under study [25,26]. In this context, largest proportion of cases were male, which is in agreement with data provided in the literature, in which those affected by the disease in most world regions are predominately male, including in Brazil [27][28][29]. The time series of the ratio between the detection rates of men and women showed, over time, the detection rates in men are higher than that of women, reaching, at the end of the study period, a ratio of about 4: 1.…”

Analysis of the Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Annexin A1 in Multibacillary Leprosy and Reactional Episodes

“…The epidemiological data showed that men were the most affected in this study. These data are consistent with the ndings reported in the literature [25][26][27]. Several factors contribute to this scenario:…”

Leprosy in urban space, areas of risk for disability and worsening of this health condition in Foz Do Iguaçu, the border region between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina

“…Studies show that the housing conditions, environment, characteristics of areas such as the absence/presence of social facilities and social protection policies and the inadequate organisation of health services are factors which are all associated with the transmission of disease and the development of leprosy disabilities [7][8][9][10]. Different techniques have been used to highlight the relationship between leprosy and the space/area, with studies having been carried out that estimate the risk of community exposure through the spatial scan statistic [10][11][12][13][14] and the density of cases by means of the kernel density estimation [15][16][17]. Despite the exhaustive use of these techniques, the statistics Getis-Ord Gi and Getis-Ord Gi* appear to present greater sensitivity for the detection of risk areas [18].…”