Leptospirosis space-time distribution and risk factors in Belém, Pará, Brazil

Abstract

The occurrence of leptospirosis has defied epidemiology even when using different analysis technologies at local geographical levels. This cross-sectional and descriptive study sought to identify spatial correlations between social and environmental risk factors and leptospirosis in Belém in the State of Pará from 2007 to 2013. Epidemiological data were obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases of the Pará State Department of Public Health and the environmental, demographic and cartographical data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Men aged 20 to 39 of unknown profession and mixed ethnicity were the most affected. Laboratory diagnosis (82%) and hospital care (67.22%) confirmed satisfactory access to the Unified Health System. Numerical Kriging indicated the highest concentrations of the disease in the Guamá and Jurunas neighborhoods in lower lying areas near canals. The Buffer technique showed higher concentrations of the disease in areas with no domestic solid garbage collection service (26%), sewage (22%), piped water (38%), with unpaved roads (20%) and street flooding (65%). The Moran technique revealed a direct spatial correlation between these variables (p = 0.01543). The general trend showed the decrease of the disease.

Key words
Leptospirosis; Epidemiology; Medical geography