SEASONALITY IN DENGUE CASE NOTIFICATIONS IN STATE AMAZONAS: A NEW PERSPECTIVE THROUGH ECOLOGICAL STUDY

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595192526047

• Palavras-chave: Dengue; Aedes aegypti; Seasonality; Brazil; Amazonas.

• Keywords: Dengue; Aedes aegypti; Seasonality; Brazil; Amazonas.

• Abstract:

  Dengue is an acute febrile infectious disease, whose vector is the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It can range from asymptomatic to severe symptoms with a risk of shock and death, and is classified as a major public health problem in Brazil. Considering the northern region, specifically the state of Amazonas, it is important to study the relationship between seasonality in the reporting of cases of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the seasonality of dengue case notifications in the state of Amazonas. METHODOLOGY: The study    used    data    from the            Epidemiological        Epidemiological    Monitoring    of urban arboviruses - epidemiological weeks 1 to 35 of 2023 of the Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, database of the Department of Information and Informatics of the Unified Health System (DataSUS), emphasizing SINAN and SIM, National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Brazilian Institute of Health.    Institute of        Geography        e        Statistics        (IBGE).    The    a    cross-sectional ecological methodological approach was adopted, covering the North of Brazil, the state of Amazonas, and four of its main municipalities, from January 2023 to February 2024. Information was analyzed    such as    sex        race/color,    schooling,    number        of    cases reported per month in Amazonas and monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, number of cases reported per month and data on sewage disposal services in the four cities. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In the period analyzed, Brazil recorded 1,530,940 probable cases of dengue, with the North and Northeast regions being the least affected. However, in the North, especially in the state of Amazonas, the majority of cases are registered among men, of brown race/color and with completed high school. This indicates that the mosquito has no preference for gender, race or educational level. As the focus of this study is the state of Amazonas, in particular the cities of Manaus, Humaitá, Manicoré and Itacoatiara, it can be seen that from November to May there is a significant increase in reported cases, coinciding with the Amazonian winter. This phenomenon is associated with high temperatures, increased humidity, higher rainfall and an increase in flooded areas. In addition, the El Niño climate phenomenon has contributed to the proliferation of Aedes aegypti and the increase in cases. Thus, the seasonality of notifications highlights a serious public health problem in the region. CONCLUSION: It is essential to increase monitoring climate fluctuations and variations order to effectively predict and respond to dengue epidemics. Control and prevention strategies must consider not only epidemiological factors, but also climatic conditions, as these affect virus replication rates. An integrated approach is essential to mitigating the impacts of dengue, protecting public health and reducing the social and economic costs related to epidemics.