Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Sep 18;32(2):e2023522.
doi: 10.1590/S2237-96222023000200021. eCollection 2023.

Leprosy prevalence spatial distribution and trend in a health region in Northeast Brazil, 2008-2017: an ecological study

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Rayanne Alves de Oliveira  1 , Paloma Maria Pereira de Sousa  2 , Janiel Conceição da Silva  1 , Lívia Fernanda Siqueira Santos  1 , Floriacy Stabnow Santos  1 , Lívia Maia Pascoal  1 , Ana Cristina Pereira de Jesus Costa  1 , Leonardo Hunaldo Dos Santos  1 , Marcelino Santos Neto  1
Affiliations

Leprosy prevalence spatial distribution and trend in a health region in Northeast Brazil, 2008-2017: an ecological study

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Rayanne Alves de Oliveira et al. Epidemiol Serv Saude. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Portuguese

Main results: A total of 4,029 leprosy cases were notified. Mean prevalence varied between 2.0 and 11.5 cases/10,000 inhab. Spatial distribution of the cases was heterogeneous and there was a falling prevalence trend over the years studied.

Implications for services: These findings point to the need to strengthen active tracing strategies and expand health actions and services targeting leprosy, with the aim of increasing detection and early treatment of cases.

Perspectives: It is important to carry out epidemiological investigations on the spatial distribution and prevalence of leprosy in other health regions in the state, in order to identify other areas with greater vulnerability to leprosy.

Objective: to analyse the spatial distribution and trend of leprosy in municipalities of a health region in a Northeast Brazilian state.

Methods: this was an ecological time-series study based on compulsory notification of leprosy cases by the municipalities covered by the Imperatriz-MA Regional Health Management Unit, between 2008 and 2017; prevalence and mean prevalence for the period were calculated; spatial analysis of the area was carried out and maps were generated using ArcGis 10.5. Prais-Winsten regression was used for trend analysis.

Result: 4,029 cases of the disease were identified, and average prevalence ranged from 2.0 to 11.5 cases/10,000 inhabitants-year. The overall trend was downward. Governador Edson Lobão had the highest prevalence, 11.5 cases/10,000 inhabitants, and Lajeado Novo had the lowest prevalence, 2.0 cases/10,000 inhabitants.

Conclusion: spatial distribution of leprosy cases was heterogeneous in the municipalities studied and prevalence had a falling trend.

Objetivo:: analisar la distribución espacial y la tendencia de la lepra en una región sanitaria de un estado del Nordeste brasileño.

Métodos:: estudio ecológico y de serie temporal, con notificación obligatoria de los municipios de la Unidad de Gestión Regional de Salud de Imperatriz-MA, entre 2008-2017. Se determinaron la prevalencia y la media del período y se realizó un análisis del espacio de área, los mapas se generaron en ArcGis 10.5. Para el análisis de tendencia se utilizaron regresiones de Prais-Winsten.

Resultado:: se identificaron 4.029 casos y las prevalencias promedio oscilaron entre 2,0 y 11,5 casos/10.000 habitantes-año, con tendencia al descenso. Governador Edson Lobão presentó la mayor prevalencia 11,5 casos/10.000 habitantes y Lajeado Novo la menor prevalencia 2,0 casos/10.000 habitantes.

Conclusión:: la distribución espacial de los casos de lepra fue heterogénea en los municipios y la tendencia de prevalencia decreciente.

Objetivo:: analisar a distribuição espacial e a tendência da hanseníase em municípios de uma regional de saúde de um estado no Nordeste brasileiro.

Métodos:: estudo ecológico e de séries temporais, sobre a notificação compulsória dos municípios integrantes da Unidade Gestora Regional de Saúde de Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brasil, entre 2008 e 2017; foram determinadas as prevalências e a média para o período; realizou-se a análise espacial de área e os mapas foram gerados pelo aplicativo ArcGis 10.5; na análise de tendência, utilizou-se a regressão de Prais-Winsten.

Resultado:: foram identificados 4.029 casos da doença e as médias de prevalência variaram de 2,0 a 11,5 casos/10 mil habitantes/ano, com tendência descendente; Governador Edson Lobão apresentou a maior prevalência, 11,5 casos/10 mil hab., e Lajeado Novo a menor, 2,0 casos/10 mil hab.

Conclusão:: a distribuição espacial dos casos de hanseníase foi heterogênea nos municípios estudados e a tendência da prevalência, decrescente.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. - Location of the Imperatriz Regional Health Management Unit, Maranhão, Brazil
Figure 2
Figure 2. - Leprosy prevalence spatial distribution in municipalities covered by the Imperatriz Regional Health Management Unit (UGRSI), Maranhão, Brazil, 2008-2017
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. World Health Organization . Global leprosy update, 2020: impact of COVID-19 on global leprosy control: weekly epidemiological record. Genebra: World Health Organization; 2021. [2021 Nov 17]. 24. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-wer9636-421-444 .
    1. Acebrón-García-de-Eulate M, Blundell TL, Vedithi SC. Strategies for drug target identification in Mycobacterium leprae. Drug Discov Today. 2021;26(7):1569–1573. - PubMed
    1. Blok D, Steinmann P, Tiwari A, Barth-Jaeggi T, Arif MA, Banstola N, et al. O impacto a longo prazo do programa de Profilaxia Pós-Exposição da Hanseníase (LPEP) na incidência da hanseníase: um estudo de modelagem. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(3):e0009279. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009279. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ministério da Saúde (BR) Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação: indicadores e dados básicos de hanseníase nos municípios brasileiros. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2022. [2022 Mar 22]. Disponível em: http://indicadoreshanseniase.aids.gov.br/
    1. Ministério da Saúde (BR). Secretária de Vigilância em Saúde . Boletim Epidemiológico Especial de Hanseníase [Internet] Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2022. [2022 Mar 03]. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/publicacoes/boletins... .

Publication types