Epidemiologic situation of tuberculosis in Rio Grande do Sul: an analysis about Sinan's data between 2003 and 2012 focusing on indigenous peoples

Spatiotemporal pattern of the incidence of tuberculosis and associated factors

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the spatiotemporal pattern of tuberculosis incidence and its associated factors.

METHODS

Ecological study, which used tuberculosis notifications during 2001-2017 and as units of analysis the municipalities of the state of Ceará of the Notifiable Diseases Information System. Time pattern analysis techniques and geographically weighted regression were used.

RESULTS

The gross incidence rate in the state reached a peak of 226.1/100 thousand inhabitants with a significant decrease of 1.9% per year (95%CI -3.0--0.7). The main clusters were identified in Fortaleza and its metropolitan region, as well as in the Sobral region. The socioeconomic indicators that were associated with the incidence were: occupation in the agricultural sector and services, population in households with bathrooms and running water and vulnerable to poverty.

CONCLUSION

There was a significant decrease in the incidence of the disease in the state of Ceará. The spatial clusters were mostly located in areas with high population and the indicators most related to the formation of spatial clusters were related to employment/income, housing and vulnerability.

Tuberculosis in Brazil: one country, multiple realities

OBJECTIVE

To identify the determinants of tuberculosis-related variables in the various regions of Brazil and evaluate trends in those variables over the ten-year period preceding the end of the timeframe defined for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

METHODS

This was an ecological analytical study in which we utilized eight national public databases to investigate the 716,971 new tuberculosis cases reported between 2006 and 2015.

RESULTS

Over the study period, there were slight reductions in the prevalence, incidence, and mortality associated with tuberculosis. Brazil did not reach the MDG for tuberculosis-related mortality. Among the performance indicators of tuberculosis control, there were improvements only in those related to treatment and treatment abandonment. In terms of the magnitude of tuberculosis, substantial regional differences were observed. The tuberculosis incidence rate was highest in the northern region, as were the annual mean temperature and relative air humidity. That region also had the second lowest human development index, primary health care (PHC) coverage, and number of hospitalizations for tuberculosis. The northeastern region had the highest PHC coverage, number of hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive conditions, and tuberculosis-related mortality rate. The southern region showed the smallest reductions in epidemiological indicators, together with the greatest increases in the frequency of treatment abandonment and retreatment. The central-west region showed the lowest overall magnitude of tuberculosis and better monitoring indicators.

CONCLUSIONS

The situation related to tuberculosis differs among the five regions of Brazil. Those differences can make it difficult to control the disease in the country and could explain the fact that Brazil failed to reach the MDG for tuberculosis-related mortality. Tuberculosis control measures should be adapted to account for regional differences.

A Clinical-Epidemiological and Geospatial Study of Tuberculosis in a Neglected Area in the Amazonian Region Highlights the Urgent Need for Control Measures

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious communicable disease, which despite global efforts, still needs special attention in regions with difficult access. This study aims to describe the spatial and epidemiological trends of TB incidences from 2013 to 2018 in Marajó Island, the Amazonian region, Pará, Brazil. We have obtained secondary data from the Brazilian TB databases and performed geospatial and statistical analyses on the data for new TB cases, relapses, and re-admissions. From 2013 to 2018, 749 new cases were reported, in which the diagnostics (culture) was not performed for 652 (87.2%) patient samples, the drug resistance test (DST) was performed for nine (1.2%) samples, and one (0.13%) was multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The rapid molecular testing (RMT) was performed on 40 (5.3%) patient samples, with results indicating that eight (20%) were susceptible to rifampicin and two (5%) were rifampicin resistant. Overall, the cure rate was 449 (66.7%), while relapses and re-admissions were 41 and 44, respectively. On the geospatial distribution, the municipality of Soure stands out with a high number of incidences, relapses, and re-admissions. Spatially, the eight MDR cases were randomly distributed. Our data highlight the urgent need for TB control measures in this region, by introducing the Xpert-Ultra^® MTB/RIF (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) and Ogawa-Kudoh.

Tendência da tuberculose em indígenas no Brasil no período de 2011-2017

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a tendência da tuberculose (TB) em indígenas no Brasil no período de 2011-2017. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico realizado com todos os casos novos de TB em indígenas notificados no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação, durante o período 2011 a 2017. Foram confeccionados mapas temáticos para acompanhamento da evolução espaço-temporal da TB na população indígena em cada ano. Para o estudo da tendência utilizou-se o modelo de regressão linear generalizada de Prais-Winsten. No período em estudo, foram notificados 6.520 casos de TB em indígenas. A incidência geral de TB em indígenas no Brasil foi de 109/100.000 habitantes. Na análise por regiões do país, as maiores incidências ocorreram nas regiões Centro-Oeste, Norte e Sudeste. Na análise por UF, as maiores incidências foram encontradas no Mato Grosso, São Paulo, Rondônia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Acre, Maranhão, Pará e Rio de Janeiro. A tendência da doença nos indígenas foi estável tanto no país quanto na maioria das suas regiões e UF. A TB afeta desproporcionalmente os indígenas brasileiros e o presente estudo ao identificar regiões e UF prioritárias pode contribuir para a elaboração e fortalecimento de ações de controle mais específicas.

Tuberculosis in Northeastern Brasil (2001-2016): trend, clinical profile, and prevalence of risk factors and associated comorbidities

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To describe the temporal trend, clinical profile, and the prevalence of risk factors and associated comorbidities in new cases of tuberculosis in the Northeast (2001-2016). METHODS: A prevalence study involving all tuberculosis cases registered in Northeast Brasil, 2001-2016. Data were obtained from the National System of Notification of Disorders. For statistical analysis, the inflection point regression model and descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: 331,245 cases of tuberculosis were reported. The overall incidence rate decreased from 44.84/100,000 inhabitants (2001) to 30.92/100,000 inhabitants (2016), with a decreasing trend (AAPC: −2.3; p<0.001). The profile was characterized by men (73.53%), age 20-59 years (73.56%), pulmonary tuberculosis (86.37%), positive smear microscopy (54.78%). The main risk factors and comorbidities were: AIDS (4.64%), HIV (12.10%), Diabetes mellitus (5.46%), alcohol (11.63%), institutionalized, (4.31%) and deprived of liberty (2.30%). The cure rate was 70.66% and the abandonment rate was 9.11%. CONCLUSIONS: Even with a reduced incidence, tuberculosis represents a real public health problem in the Northeast region. The profile was characterized by a male population, in economically-active age, lung smear-positive pulmonary presentation, and the risk factors and comorbidities of Aids, TB/HIV co-infection, diabetes mellitus, alcohol consumption, institutionalized and deprived of freedom reflect the complexity of the challenges in facing the disease.

Performance of diagnostic tests for pulmonary tuberculosis in indigenous populations in Brazil: the contribution of Rapid Molecular Testing

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of rapid molecular testing as a diagnostic tool and estimate the incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis among the indigenous population.

METHODS

This is an epidemiological study based on secondary data. We calculated the incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis between January 1st, 2011 and December 31, 2016, and the performance of bacilloscopy and rapid molecular testing in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis compared to sputum culture (standard test).

RESULTS

We included 4,048 cases of indigenous people with respiratory symptoms who provided sputum samples for analysis. Among them, 3.7%, 6.7%, and 3.7% had positive results for bacilloscopy, sputum culture, and rapid molecular testing, respectively. The mean incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis was 269.3/100 thousand inhabitants. Rapid molecular testing had 93.1% sensitivity and 98.2% specificity, compared to sputum culture. Bacilloscopy showed 55.1% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

Rapid molecular testing can be useful in remote areas with limited resources and a high incidence of tuberculosis, such as indigenous villages in rural regions of Brazil. In addition, the main advantages of rapid molecular testing are its easy handling, fast results, and the possibility of detecting rifampicin resistance. Together, these attributes enable the early start of treatment, contributing to reduce the transmission in communities recognized as vulnerable to infection and disease.

[The challenge of providing primary healthcare care to indigenous peoples in BrazilEl desafío de brindar atención primaria de salud a los pueblos indígenas en Brasil]

No Brasil, o direito à saúde pleiteado pelos povos indígenas dialoga com diferentes marcos regulatórios, incluindo a Declaração de Alma-Ata, a qual propõe e valoriza a atenção primária à saúde (APS) como promotora de maior acesso e forma de minimizar as desigualdades em saúde. No âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), o subsistema de atenção à saúde indígena (SASI) e a Política de Atenção à Saúde dos Povos Indígenas (PNASPI) foram criados como estratégia para garantir o acesso à saúde aos povos indígenas. A PNASPI prevê atenção diferenciada às populações indígenas com base na diversidade sociocultural e nas particularidades epidemiológicas e logísticas desses povos e focando no desenvolvimento da APS com garantia de integralidade da assistência. O presente artigo traz reflexões acerca da implementação da PNASPI, destacando os avanços e desafios apresentados durante esse percurso. Apesar dos crescentes recursos financeiros disponibilizados para implementar o subsistema de saúde indígena, as ações têm apresentado poucos resultados nos indicadores de saúde, que refletem desigualdades historicamente descritas entre esses povos e os demais segmentos. A participação social ainda se mantém frágil, e suas discussões refletem a insatisfação dos usuários. A descontinuidade do cuidado somada à carência e alta rotatividade de profissionais, assim como a necessidade de estabelecer diálogos interculturais que promovam a articulação com saberes tradicionais, são fatores que desafiam a efetividade da PNASPI. O cuidado ainda é centrado em práticas paliativas e emergenciais, geralmente baseado na remoção de pacientes, gerando altos custos. A superação desses desafios depende do fortalecimento da APS e de seu reconhecimento enquanto importante marco regulador do modelo organizacional da PNASPI.