[Infectious and parasitic diseases in Brazil, 2010 to 2017: considerations for surveillanceEnfermedades infecciosas y parasitarias en Brasil de 2010 a 2017: aspectos para la vigilancia sanitaria]. / Doenças infecciosas e parasitárias no Brasil de 2010 a 2017: aspectos para vigilância em saúde.

OBJECTIVE: To present a method to identify critical areas for selected infectious and parasitic diseases for the purpose of health surveillance and to analyze the association between these critical areas and poverty indicators in Brazil. METHOD: The following incidence rates were mapped: dengue, acute Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, Hansen's disease, hepatitis A, cutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, malaria, and tuberculosis. The analyses were performed for the period from 2010 to 2017 based on a synthetic indicator calculated as the mean of mean incidence coefficients for each disorder, normalized by the mean and standard deviation during the period of analysis. A 2014 population estimate was used. The calculated coefficients were stratified for classification of municipalities into very high, high, medium, low, or very low criticality according to each disorder. Indicators expressing several socioeconomic dimensions and space segregation in Brazilian municipalities were also selected and tested regarding their association with the transmission of the diseases under study. RESULTS: The indicator showed that 40.5% of Brazilian municipalities had high criticality for the diseases of interest, especially in the North, parts of the Northeast, and Midwest. Indicators "proportion of poverty," "garbage in surroundings," and "families headed by women" increased the chance of higher criticality for the diseases. The indicator "adequate sewer system" was a potential protection factor. CONCLUSIONS: The technique used was adequate to guide surveillance actions in the country and allows articulation between local surveillance efforts and other sectors to resolve health problems caused by infectious and parasitic diseases and associated factors.

OBJETIVO: Presentar un método para identificar áreas críticas relacionadas con ciertas enfermedades infecciosas y parasitarias con fines de vigilancia sanitaria y analizar su asociación con los indicadores de pobreza en Brasil. MÉTODOS: Se cartografiaron las tasas de incidencia de dengue, enfermedad de Chagas aguda, esquistosomiasis, lepra, hepatitis A, leishmaniasis cutánea, leishmaniasis visceral, leptospirosis, malaria y tuberculosis. Se efectuaron análisis para los años 2010 a 2017 a partir de un indicador de síntesis, calculado como el promedio de los coeficientes de incidencia promedio para cada enfermedad, normalizado por la media y la desviación estándar durante el período analizado. La base de población estimada fue la de 2014. Los coeficientes calculados se estratificaron para clasificar los municipios según presentaran una situación crítica muy alta, alta, media, baja o muy baja para cada enfermedad. Se seleccionaron también indicadores de diferentes dimensiones que expresaran las desigualdades socioeconómicas y la segregación espacial en los municipios brasileños, y se evaluó su asociación con las enfermedades estudiadas. RESULTADOS: El indicador demostró que el 40,5% de los municipios brasileños presentan una situación crítica alta, en especial en las regiones Norte y Centro-oeste y parte del Nordeste. Los indicadores "proporción de pobreza", "basura en los alrededores", "aguas servidas en los alrededores" y "familias encabezadas por mujeres" pueden aumentar la posibilidad de que la localidad presente una situación más crítica para las enfermedades. El indicador "red cloacal adecuada" puede considerarse un potencial factor de protección. CONCLUSIONES: La técnica utilizada fue adecuada para orientar las acciones de vigilancia sanitaria en el país y permite la articulación entre la vigilancia local y otros sectores para evitar los problemas de salud causados por las enfermedades infecciosas y parasitarias y los factores relacionados.

Increase in Reported Prevalence of Microcephaly in Infants Born to Women Living in Areas with Confirmed Zika Virus Transmission During the First Trimester of Pregnancy - Brazil, 2015.

Widespread transmission of Zika virus by Aedes mosquitoes has been recognized in Brazil since late 2014, and in October 2015, an increase in the number of reported cases of microcephaly was reported to the Brazil Ministry of Health.* By January 2016, a total of 3,530 suspected microcephaly cases had been reported, many of which occurred in infants born to women who lived in or had visited areas where Zika virus transmission was occurring. Microcephaly surveillance was enhanced in late 2015 by implementing a more sensitive case definition. Based on the peak number of reported cases of microcephaly, and assuming an average estimated pregnancy duration of 38 weeks in Brazil (1), the first trimester of pregnancy coincided with reports of cases of febrile rash illness compatible with Zika virus disease in pregnant women in Bahia, Paraíba, and Pernambuco states, supporting an association between Zika virus infection during early pregnancy and the occurrence of microcephaly. Pregnant women in areas where Zika virus transmission is occurring should take steps to avoid mosquito bites. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate the relationship between Zika virus infection in pregnancy and microcephaly.