Urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Volume 26 (4) | October 27, 2009 | page(s) 330-333
Polianna Lemos Moura Moreira Albuquerque1
,
Geraldo Bezerra da Silva Júnior2
,
Caio César Furtado Freire3
,
Stephanie Bachi de Castro Oliveira4
,
Daniel Medeiros Almeida5
,
Herivaldo Ferreira da Silva6
,
Maria do Socorro Cavalcante7
,
Anastácio de Queiroz Sousa8
Contact authors
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key words: Leishmaniasis, visceral; kala-azar; epidemiology; urban zones; Brazil. Leishmaniasis visceral; epidemiología; zonas urbanas; Brasil.
Suggested Citation: Albuquerque PLMM, Silva Júnior GBd, Freire CCF, Oliveira SBdC, Almeida DM, Silva HFd, Cavalcante MdS, Sousa AdQ. Urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2009;26(4):330-333
Abstract
Objectives. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in Brazil and appears to occur in epidemic
form in the state of Ceará. Few epidemiologic studies have been done on VL in this state.
The aim of this study is to establish the epidemiologic pattern of VL in Fortaleza City and to
show how urbanization has occurred in recent years.
Methods. Data were obtained from the State Health Department of Fortaleza, Ceará, and
included all cases of VL registered in Fortaleza from January 2001 to December 2006.
Results. There were a marked increase and an elevated incidence of cases of VL in urban
areas. Children and young people were the most affected group.
Conclusion. The epidemic occurrence of VL in the region must convince authorities to
adopt more adequate policies of disease control.
Español
Urbanización de la leishmaniasis visceral (kala-azar) en Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil
Objetivos. La leishmaniasis visceral (LV) es endémica en Brasil y suele ocurrir en
forma epidémica en el estado de Ceará. Se han realizado pocos estudios epidemiológicos
sobre LV en ese estado. El objetivo de este estudio es establecer el patrón epidemiológico
de LV en la ciudad de Fortaleza y mostrar cómo ha ocurrido la urbanización
de esta enfermedad en los últimos años.
Métodos. Los datos se obtuvieron del Departamento Estatal de Salud de Fortaleza,
Ceará, y abarcaron todos los casos de LV registrados en esa ciudad entre enero de
2001 y diciembre de 2006.
Resultados. Se observó un marcado incremento y una elevada incidencia de LV en
las áreas urbanas. Los niños y jóvenes fueron los grupos más afectados.
Conclusión. La ocurrencia de epidemias de LV en la región debe convencer a las
autoridades para que adopten políticas más apropiadas para el control de esta
enfermedad.
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Footnotes
- 1 Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Send correspondence and reprint requests to: Dra. Polianna Lemos Moura Moreira Albuquerque, Rua Sigefredo Pinheiro, no. 100, apto 101, Bairro de Fátima, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil; telephone: +55 85 3472 2451/+55 85 8887 5528; e-mail: pollylemos@yahoo.com.br, geraldobezerrajr@yahoo. com.br 2 School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- (1) Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. (2) School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira and Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Epidemiology Division of Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Infectious Diseases, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.