[Eco-epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Buriticupu, Amazon region of Maranhão State, Brazil, 1996-1998].
This study presents the distribution of leishmaniasis in the town of Buriticupu, Maranhão, Brazil, by month, season, occupation, gender, and age from 1996 to 1998. These data were compared with those on sand flies obtained by other authors during the same period. The disease affected all age groups, in the following order: 0-5 years (4.1%), 6-10 (7.1%), 11-15 (13.6%), 16-21 (20.8%), 22-30 (21.1%), and > 30 (33.3%). The disease predominantly affected males (70.1%) and agricultural workers (52.5%), followed by students (17.7%), and domestic workers (16.0%). Like the sand fly vector, the disease was distributed throughout the year, but the greatest concentration of cases was recorded in the dry season (58.5%), while sand flies presented bimodal peaks in the first two years and occurred more frequently in the rainy season in 1998. The disease continues to present the same characteristics as in the past, but there was a proportional increase in cases among children and females, suggesting transmission in the anthropic environment.
Martins
Luzenice Macedo
LM
Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde e Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Sao Luis, Brazil. luzenice@yahoo.com.br
Rebêlo
José Manuel Macário
JM
dos Santos
Márcio Costa Fernandes Vaz
MC
Costa
Jackson Maurício Lopes
JM
da Silva
Antonio Rafael
AR
Ferreira
Luiz Alves
LA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution