[Progression of dengue virus circulation in the State of Bahia, Brazil, 1994-2000]. / Progressão da circulação do vírus do dengue no Estado da Bahia, 1994-2000.

INTRODUCTION: The strength of the re-emergence of dengue virus and the severity of these infections put this disease in the priority agenda of the institutions responsible for protecting the health of populations. Important for understanding the epidemiology of dengue nowadays refers to the knowledge of the patterns of spatial-temporal diffusion, though there is few research addressing this issue. This study describes the process of dissemination of dengue in the state of Bahia, from 1994 to 2000. METHODS: This ecological study space-time, with the units of analysis, county, epidemiological week, month, trimester and year. There has been construction of the trend line and has been mapping the sequential occurrence of dengue in the municipality for the period. RESULTS: There were 164,050 reported cases of dengue and the introduction of this virus in Bahia, unlike other states, occurred on a small city, though there is intermittency in spatial and temporal records of cases at the beginning of this epidemic. The virus circulated in all climatic zones fact what highlight its high transmission power. The highest intensity of detection of cases and territorial expansion was in the littoral (zone humid and half-humid) ideal area for the survive of the vector. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothetically, the intermittent space-time pattern initially observed, could have allowed the control of the progression of the epidemic, if structured action to vectorial combat was carried out.

Progressão da circulação do vírus do dengue no Estado da Bahia, 1994-2000 / Progression of dengue virus circulation in the State of Bahia, Brazil, 1994-2000

INTRODUÇÃO: A força da reemergência do vírus do dengue e a gravidade destas infecções colocaram esta doença na agenda de prioridades das instituições responsáveis pela proteção à saúde das populações. Aspecto importante para a compreensão da epidemiologia do dengue nos dias atuais refere-se ao conhecimento dos padrões da difusão espaço-temporal, entretanto são escassas as investigações que abordam esta questão. Este estudo descreve o processo de difusão do dengue no estado da Bahia, de 1994 a 2000. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo ecológico espaço-temporal, tendo como unidades de análise município, semana epidemiológica, mês, trimestre e ano. Procedeu-se construção da curva de tendência e realizou-se mapeamento seqüencial da ocorrência de dengue por município para o período. RESULTADOS: Foram notificados 164.050 casos de dengue e a introdução desse vírus na Bahia, diferentemente de outros estados, se deu por um município de pequeno porte, constatando-se intermitência temporal e espacial nos registros de casos no início desta epidemia. Contudo, a partir de 1995 o processo de difusão da doença se deu de forma rápida e intensa. O vírus circulou em todas as zonas climáticas do estado o que revela o seu elevado poder de transmissão. A maior intensidade de detecção de casos e expansão territorial foi nas regiões úmidas e semi-úmidas do litoral, ideais para a sobrevivência e proliferação do vetor, e também, por serem mais densamente povoadas. CONCLUSÕES: Hipoteticamente, o padrão espaço-temporal intermitente de detecção de casos observado inicialmente, poderia permitir o controle da progressão da epidemia, caso houvesse ações de combate vetorial estruturadas.

INTRODUCTION: The strength of the re-emergence of dengue virus and the severity of these infections put this disease in the priority agenda of the institutions responsible for protecting the health of populations. Important for understanding the epidemiology of dengue nowadays refers to the knowledge of the patterns of spatial-temporal diffusion, though there is few research addressing this issue. This study describes the process of dissemination of dengue in the state of Bahia, from 1994 to 2000. METHODS: This ecological study space-time, with the units of analysis, county, epidemiological week, month, trimester and year. There has been construction of the trend line and has been mapping the sequential occurrence of dengue in the municipality for the period. RESULTS: There were 164,050 reported cases of dengue and the introduction of this virus in Bahia, unlike other states, occurred on a small city, though there is intermittency in spatial and temporal records of cases at the beginning of this epidemic. The virus circulated in all climatic zones fact what highlight its high transmission power. The highest intensity of detection of cases and territorial expansion was in the littoral (zone humid and half-humid) ideal area for the survive of the vector. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothetically, the intermittent space-time pattern initially observed, could have allowed the control of the progression of the epidemic, if structured action to vectorial combat was carried out.