INTRODUCTION: Autochthonous malaria in the State of São Paulo is characterized by sporadic outbreaks in the western region and by persistent transmission in the eastern region, where oligosymptomatic cases with low parasitemia due to Plasmodium vivax occur. The objectives of this study were to assess the completeness of autochthonous malaria notification forms; to estimate the incidence trends of autochthonous cases in the State of São Paulo from 1980 to 2007; and to analyze the clinical and epidemiological patterns of cases in two autochthonous regions over this period. METHODS: This was a descriptive study that analyzed 18 variables on the notification form for malaria in the State of São Paulo, comparing these two regions over two periods (1980-1993 and 1994-2007). The data sources were SUCEN/SES/SP, SINAN/CVE/SES/SP and DATASUS. RESULTS: The completeness was greater than 85% for 11 variables. The incidence trend was decreasing. There were 821 autochthonous cases: 91.6% occurred in the eastern region, predominantly due to Plasmodium vivax. Asymptomatic infection had a higher percentage in the second period (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The completeness of the information was satisfactory. The clinical differences observed deserve attention from epidemiological surveillance agencies, which need to deal with the challenge of asymptomatic infection by Plasmodium.
Malaria; Epidemiology; Epidemiological surveillance
