The socio–demographic, environmental and reservoir factors associated with leptospirosis in an urban area of north–eastern Brazil

Abstract

In an ecological study based on the 18 microregions that form the city of Recife, the capital of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, associations between socio-demographic, environmental and reservoir factors and the incidence of leptospirosis in the city were investigated. Incidence over a 5-year period (2001-2005) and 14 variables were analysed, using central trend and dispersion measurements, Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression. Variables relating to education, income, housing type, sewage system, rubbish collection and hydrographic factors were found to be significantly correlated with leptospirosis incidence (P<0.05 for each). Just two variables - the proportion of heads of households with incomes less than or equal to the legal minimum (U.S.$83.55/month), and the proportion of households from which rubbish was dumped in skips, lakes, rivers or the sea or on vacant land - explained 60% (P=0.017) of the differences in disease risk observed between the various areas of the city.

Environmental and Risk Factors of Leptospirosis: A Spatial Analysis in Semarang City

“…A study explored several socio-economic and demographic characteristics of Sao Paulo, Brazil with historical human leptospirosis cases and found significant associations with average monthly income, literacy rate, and some people living in a household, among other factors [13]. Likewise, education, income, housing type, and some people living per household were risk factors for human leptospirosis in a different study from urban Recife in Brazil [14]. …”

“…Proximity to open sewer and public waste disposal sites has been associated with human leptospirosis from other countries [14,24,38]. Wastewater disposal is open can be a pathway to enter into houses.…”

Prospective Study of Leptospirosis Transmission in an Urban Slum Community: Role of Poor Environment in Repeated Exposures to the Leptospira Agent

“…Investigations of urban leptospirosis, which have used ecological [4], [12], [22], cross-sectional [9] and case-control study designs [23], [24], have identified infrastructure deficiencies in the environment where slum dwellers reside as risk factors for acquiring leptospirosis and anti- Leptospira antibodies. For example, high risk of Leptospira transmission has been found to be associated with proximity of residence to open sewers and accumulated refuse, flood-risk areas, and areas with high rat infestation [9], [12], [22]–[26].…”

Comportamiento de la vigilancia epidemiológica de la leptospirosis humana en Colombia, 2007-2011

“…En países asiáticos, como Filipinas, y otros de Centroamérica y Suramérica, como Honduras, Cuba, Brasil y Colombia, los casos en humanos son adquiridos en los hogares en zonas urbanas o por actividades de trabajo en zonas rurales (6)(7)(8)(9). Actualmente, se reconoce la enfermedad como un problema creciente de salud pública a nivel mundial, la cual crea una mayor preocupación en los países de Latinoamérica, debido al aumento en el número de casos tanto en humanos como en animales (10)(11)(12).…”

“…Goiania, Brasil: INPE; 16-21 de abril de 2005. p. 2301-8) (6,13). La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) reporta una incidencia anual de leptospirosis estimada en 0,1 casos por 100.000 habitantes para climas templados, de 10 a 100 por 100.000 habitantes en climas tropicales y 100 por 100.000 habitantes en brotes y grupos de alto riesgo.…”