American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is one of the most important but
neglected infectious diseases, and can cause severe deformities. ATL incidence
remains high in forest regions, such as in the Amazonas State, Brazil. However,
differences within the State and over time have been observed, since infection
patterns are not homogeneous, and these aspects need to be clarified. This study
aimed to identify the epidemiological profile of ATL and its spatial and
temporal distribution in the Brazilian Amazon, from 2010 to 2014. Data were
extracted from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, which
descriptively evaluates the incidence rate, as well as the temporal and spatial
distribution of the disease. The highest prevalence of ATL was found in men and
in the age group of 20-40 years. Approximately 95% of the cases were of
cutaneous ATL and they were identified through direct examination. The spatial
analysis has shown that ATL was widely distributed, both in rural and urban
areas, and more concentrated in the Southern part of the State. Moreover,
although there was an expansion in the spatial distribution and an increasing
incidence of ATL in Amazonas, the epidemiological profile remained unchanged,
suggesting that other factors must be responsible for its widespread
distribution and increasing incidence.