PREVALÊNCIA E CARACTERÍSTICAS EPIDEMIOLÓGICAS DOS CASOS DE TOXOPLASMOSE GESTACIONAL DO ESTADO DO MARANHÃO (2019 A 2022)

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.5581125090113

• Palavras-chave: Toxoplasma. Toxoplasmose Gestacional. Epidemiologia.

• Keywords: Toxoplasma. Gestational toxoplasmosis. Epidemiology.

• Abstract: Toxoplasmosis is a serious parasitic disease, the etiologic agent of which, Toxoplasma gondii, is adaptable to socio-environmental conditions. When maternal-fetal infection occurs, clinical manifestations can appear during childhood, such as intracranial calcifications, retinochoroiditis or hydrocephalus. The aim was therefore to determine the prevalence and describe the epidemiological characteristics of cases of gestational toxoplasmosis in the state of Maranhão (2019 to 2022). This was a cross-sectional, descriptive epidemiological study with a quantitative approach. The epidemiological variables collected were: age group, race, identification criteria, diagnosis classification, case progression, schooling and gestational trimester. The data analyzed was obtained from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN).  During the period from 2019 to 2022, 1,057 women were notified with gestational toxoplasmosis. The prevalence of gestational toxoplasmosis from 2019 to 2022 averaged 8.35 cases per 100,000 pregnant women. In 2019, the rate was 7.35/100,000 pregnant women, followed by 7.51/100,000 pregnant women in 2020, 8.63/100,000 pregnant women in 2021 and 9.94/100,000 pregnant women in 2022. The majority of cases occurred in the 20 to 39 age group (70.29%) and of brown race/color (77.57%). Women with completed high school education accounted for 400 cases, equivalent to 37.84%. In the context of the gestational trimester, 506 cases (47.87%) were diagnosed during the 2nd trimester. The predominant criterion for diagnosis was laboratory (73.42%). With regard to the classification of diagnoses, 763 cases were confirmed (72.19%), while 538 cases were recovered, totaling 50.9% of all diagnosed cases. The lack of knowledge about the implications for pregnant women and the fetus highlights the need for improvements in primary prevention, highlighting the importance of clarification during the first prenatal visit. These results are a wake-up call for health managers and professionals, and in this context, it is crucial to consider measures such as intensifying prophylactic actions in communities about this compulsorily notifiable disease.