ANALYSIS OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIOSIS DEL ESTADO DE PARÁ (BRASIL)

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a disease neglected by public health policies in Brazil, and is potentially fatal. Among patients with a higher risk of mortality, children under the age of five, malnourished patients and immunodeficiencies stand out. In Brazil, Leishmaniasis is a notifiable disease, and Pará is among the states with the highest number of cases of the disease, registering, in the last four years, approximately 1800 confirmed cases. However, there are no studies with analyses concerning the epidemiological profile of patients in that state. Thus, this study aimed to describe the epidemiological profile of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) of the pediatric age group, from patients in Pará, from January 2015 to December 2018. This is a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional and retrospective study. The notified and confirmed cases of pediatric patients, from the state of Pará, obtained through the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINANNET), were analyzed. The results presented in the study demonstrated that the pediatric age group, under 14 years old, has a higher incidence of the disease in the state of Pará, compared to adults. There has been an oscillation of the disease in recent decades, and as of 2015 there has been an increase, mainly in pediatrics. The pediatric population aged 1 to 4 years is the most affected, with risk of recurrence. Cure in this population is prevalent, but children under 1 year of age have a higher risk of progressing to death. Statistical analyzes showed that there was no statistical difference in this age group in relation to sex, race and housing area.