Geographical and epidemiological aspects of leprosy in the Pontal of Paranapanema region

• Grant number: 16/09498-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcus Vinicius Pimenta Rodrigues
• Grantee: Lívia Cafundó Almeida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Dr Domingos Leonardo Ceravolo. Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic, infectious, caused by a mycobacterium. Of the 122 countries considered endemic for leprosy, 119 had eliminated the disease as a public health problem. Brazil is among the three that have not yet reached that rate. It is the second country with more cases of leprosy, behind only India. The Leprosy Control actions must be linked to care service network Basic planned according to the epidemiological situation. The mapping of disease is critical because the knowledge of the geographical pattern of diseases can provide information. In São Paulo there are three very poor areas, one of which is the Pontal of Paranapanema. It is believed that the spread of leprosy is associated with the geographical environment in which the population is present or next as settlement areas, close to rivers or streams covered by woody vegetation whose temperature and humidity favor the survival of the Mycobacterium leprae, as well as areas with high population density facilitates contact between sick and not sick. Objective: To understand the epidemiological and geographic aspects of the distribution of leprosy in the Pontal of Paranapanema region. Materials and Methods: This was an ecological, epidemiological study. The data relating to infected individuals as well as maps and distribution of human population will be obtained from consolidated and available results in different organs such as the National System Diseases and Notifications (SINAM), Epidemiological Bulletin Paulista (BEPA) and Surveillance Center Municipal Epidemiologic. Socioeconomic data will be analyzed using data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Possible associations will be analyzed between environmental factors such as climate, soil, sanitation, presence of woods, streams or ponds, population concentration of people, wastelands and disability in storage and garbage collection.