Epidemiological profile of people with visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of Paracatu, Brazil from 2007 to 2010

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the epidemiological profile of visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of Paracatu. METHODS: It is a descriptive and epidemiological study based on cases notified to the Information System for Notifiable Diseases between 2007 and 2010. We analysed the following variables: age, sex, skin colour (race), years of schooling, type of input, and disease outcome using absolute and relative frequencies. RESULTS: A total of 128 cases of visceral leishmaniasis had been notified. Average incidence rate in the period was 39/100,000 inhabitants. Among these, 56.2% were men; 56.2% were aged between 0 and 14 years; 7.8% were recurrent cases; 87.5% were cured; and 4.7% died. CONCLUSION: The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in Paracatu in the studied period was high when compared with the state and national averages. On the other hand, the low coefficient of lethality encourages the re-evaluation of local strategies to control the disease.