Epidemiological profile of malaria in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, from 2003 to 2008.

This study describes the epidemiological profile of malaria in the State of Tocantins, in the period 2003-2008, investigates the association between the frequency of malaria and population growth, classifies the cases by 'autochthonous' and 'imported', reports the indices of the disease and analyses the distribution of the cases by Plasmodium species, age and gender. The retrospective study was based on secondary data, stored in SIVEP-malaria and analyzed using the software Epi-Info 3.5.1. and Bioestat 5.0. 19,004 samples were investigated for malaria, 19% of them were positive, 73.32% with Plasmodium vivax, 21.80% with Plasmodium falciparum, 4.79% with mixed infections and only 0.08% with Plasmodium malariae. Male individuals accounted for 76.95% and predominated in all years and age groups, especially in the 15 to 49 years old group. From the overall cases, 34.27% were autochthonous and 65.73% were imported (χ2 = 356.8, p = 0.0001). The frequency of malaria decreased significantly during the entire series (rp = 0.96, p = 0.002) and the number of municipalities with autochthonous transmission also diminished. It was found that malaria is predominantly imported, related to land activities, which confirms the need for effective measures to maintain vigilance throughout the state and enhance educational activities in order to guide the population towards early treatment-seeking.

Epidemiological profile of malaria in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, from 2003 to 2008 / Perfil epidemiológico da malária no Estado do Tocantins, Brasil, no período 2003 a 2008

This study describes the epidemiological profile of malaria in the State of Tocantins, in the period 2003-2008, investigates the association between the frequency of malaria and population growth, classifies the cases by 'autochthonous' and 'imported', reports the indices of the disease and analyses the distribution of the cases by Plasmodium species, age and gender. The retrospective study was based on secondary data, stored in SIVEP-malaria and analyzed using the software Epi-Info 3.5.1. and Bioestat 5.0. 19,004 samples were investigated for malaria, 19 percent of them were positive, 73.32 percent with Plasmodium vivax, 21.80 percent with Plasmodium falciparum, 4.79 percent with mixed infections and only 0.08 percent with Plasmodium malariae. Male individuals accounted for 76.95 percent and predominated in all years and age groups, especially in the 15 to 49 years old group. From the overall cases, 34.27 percent were autochthonous and 65.73 percent were imported (χ2 = 356.8, p = 0.0001). The frequency of malaria decreased significantly during the entire series (rp = 0.96, p = 0.002) and the number of municipalities with autochthonous transmission also diminished. It was found that malaria is predominantly imported, related to land activities, which confirms the need for effective measures to maintain vigilance throughout the state and enhance educational activities in order to guide the population towards early treatment-seeking.

Este estudo descreve o perfil epidemiológico da malária no Estado do Tocantins, no período 2003 a 2008, investiga a associação entre a frequência da malária e o crescimento populacional, classifica os casos por autóctone e importada, relaciona os índices da doença e analisa a distribuição dos casos por espécie de Plasmodium, faixa etária e gênero. O estudo retrospectivo baseou-se em dados secundários, armazenados no SIVEP-malária e analisados através dos Softwares Epi-Info 3.5.1. e Bioestat 5.0. Foram investigadas 19.004 amostras para malária, sendo 19 por cento positivas; 73,32 por cento por Plasmodium vivax, 21,80 por cento por Plasmodium falciparum, 4,79 por cento por infecções mistas e 0,08 por cento por Plasmodium malariae. Os indivíduos masculinos representaram 76,95 por cento e predominaram em todos os anos e faixas etárias, principalmente naqueles de 15 a 49 anos. Do total de casos, 34,27 por cento tiveram origem autóctone e 65,73 por cento importado (χ2 = 356,8; p = 0,0001). A frequência da malária reduziu de forma significativa durante toda série histórica (r p = 0,96; p = 0,002) e, concomitantemente, reduziram os municípios com transmissão autóctone. Constatou-se que a malária é predominantemente importada, relacionada às atividades de campo, que confirma a necessidade de manter medidas efetivas de vigilância em todo Estado e aprimorar ações educativas no sentido de orientar a população na busca pelo atendimento precoce.