[Spatial and temporal distribution of tuberculosis in indigenous and non-indigenous of Rondônia State, Western Amazon, Brazil]

Spatial-temporal evolution of tuberculosis incidence rates in indigenous and non-indigenous people of Brazil, from 2011 to 2022

OBJECTIVE

To describe the space-time evolution of TB incidence rates (TI) in indigenous and non-indigenous people, according to the Federative Units (UF) of Brazil, from 2011 to 2022.

METHODS

Ecological, temporal, and spatial study on new tuberculosis cases in Brazil among indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sinan) were collected from 2011 to 2022 and stratified by Federal Unit, explored and statistically analyzed using R software version 4.2.3.

RESULTS

The mean TI among indigenous populations in Brazil was 71.7 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while for non-indigenous populations it was 28.6/100,000 inhabitants. The regions of the country that presented the highest (mean) incidence among indigenous populations were: Central-West (102.8/100,000 inhabitants), Southeast (99.6/100,000 inhabitants), and North (79.9/100,000 inhabitants). For non-indigenous populations the highest incidence was in the North region (36.5/100,000 inhabitants), followed by the Southeast (31.3/100,000), and the Northeast (27,4/100,000 inhabitants). The analysis showed that the highest incidence of TB cases among indigenous populations occurred in the states of: SP, RO, RJ, MS, MT e PA.

CONCLUSION

High incidence of the disease compared to the non-indigenous population show the need for a specific approach to address the health needs of these populations. Regional disparities in incidence indicate the need to address socioeconomic and infrastructure issues that affect the health of indigenous populations.

Factors associated with death in patients with tuberculosis in Brazil: Competing risks analysis

Objectives

This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with likely TB deaths, likely TB-related deaths and deaths from other causes. Understanding the factors associated with mortality could help the strategy to End TB, especially the goal of reducing TB deaths by 95% between 2015 and 2035.

Methods

A retrospective, population-based cohort study of the causes of death was performed using a competing risk model in patients receiving treatment for TB. Patients had started TB treatment in Brazil 2008–2013 with any death certificates dated in the same period. We used three categories of deaths, according to ICD-10 codes: i) probable TB deaths; ii) TB-related deaths; iii) deaths from other causes.

Results

In this cohort, 39,997 individuals (14.1%) died, out of a total of 283,508 individuals. Of these, 8,936 were probable TB deaths (22.4%) and 3,365 TB-related deaths (8.4%), illustrating high mortality rates. 27,696 deaths (69.2%) were from other causes. From our analysis, factors strongly associated with probable TB deaths were male gender (sHR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26–1.40), age over 60 years (sHR = 9.29, 95% CI: 8.15–10.60), illiterate schooling (sHR = 2.33, 95% CI: 2.09–2.59), black (sHR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26–1.40) and brown (sHR = 13, 95% CI: 1.07–1.19) color/race, from the Southern region (sHR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.28), clinical mixed forms (sHR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.73–2.11) and alcoholism (sHR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.81–2.00). Also, HIV positive serology was strongly associated with probable TB deaths (sHR = 62.78; 95% CI: 55.01–71.63).

Conclusions

In conclusion, specific strategies for active surveillance and early case detection can reduce mortality among patients with tuberculosis, leading to more timely detection and treatment.

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.

Cultura dos povos originários da floresta amazônica na gestação e no puerpério: uma revisão de escopo sob o ponto de vista da segurança alimentar e nutricional

RESUMO A desnutrição na população indígena é um problema de saúde pública atual e uma das principais causas de morbimortalidade das crianças desses grupos no Brasil. Para subsidiar ações de promoção da educação alimentar e nutricional, abrangendo povos da floresta do estado do Amazonas, Brasil, cujo território faz fronteira com a Colômbia, além da visita de campo em 2018, fez-se necessário, concomitantemente, mapear na literatura como essa população vive e de que maneira o cuidado é prestado. A revisão de escopo buscou tópicos referentes ao modo de vida das mulheres e crianças na Amazônia, à dieta durante o período gestacional e do puerpério, a práticas de aleitamento, à introdução de alimentos sólidos ao bebê e aos cuidados dos serviços de saúde. Como resultado, foram recuperados 21 estudos multidisciplinares. Encontrou-se que a comida tradicional tem valor nutricional maior do que a industrializada, a culinária local é uma fonte de renda das mulheres indígenas no meio urbano e um elo entre etnias. Conclui-se que as pesquisas devem incorporar o paradigma da promoção da saúde e abranger temas como a aculturação indígena nos centros urbanos amazônicos, a chegada da internet nas aldeias e o papel do cuidado à distância, que necessitam ser investigados para melhor enfrentamento do problema.

[Tuberculosis in indigenous children and adolescents in Brazil: factors associated with death and treatment dropout]

The study aimed to describe clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, estimate incidence, and analyze factors associated with dropout and death during treatment of TB cases reported in indigenous children and adolescents in Brazil from 2006 to 2016. A historical case series was performed on incidence according to age bracket and major geographic region, and multinomial logistic regression was used to explain factors associated with treatment dropout and death. Of the 2,096 reported cases, 88.2% evolved to cure, 7.2% dropped out of treatment, and 4.6% evolved to death. There was a predominance of cases in boys 15-19 years of age and a higher proportion of deaths (55.7%) in children < 4 years. Considering indigenous children and adolescents with TB in Brazil as a whole, mean incidence was 49.1/100,000, ranging from 21.5/100,000 to 97.6/100,000 in the Northeast and Central, respectively. Cases with insufficient and irregular follow-up showed higher odds of dropout (OR = 11.1; 95%CI: 5.2-24.8/OR = 4.4; 95%CI: 1.9-10.3) and death (OR = 20.3; 95%CI: 4.9-84.9/OR = 5.1; 95%CI: 1.2-22.7). Cases in retreatment (OR = 2.4; 95%CI: 2.08-8.55) and with HIV coinfection (OR = 8.2; 95%CI: 2.2-30.9) were also associated with dropout. Extrapulmonary (OR = 1.8; 95%CI: 1.1-3.3) and mixed clinical forms (OR = 5.6; 95%CI: 2.8-11.4), age < 4 years (OR = 3.1; 95%CI: 1.5-6.4), and cases from the North (OR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.1-7.1) and Central (OR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.1-7.0) were associated with death. TB control in indigenous children and adolescents cannot be achieved without investments in research and development and without reducing social inequalities.

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.

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

Objective:

This article analyzes the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, emphasizing the indigenous population. The data are based on the Information System of Grievance Notification (Sinan) between 2003 and 2012.

Methods:

The notified cases of tuberculosis were analyzed according to age, sex, zone of residence, input type, means of diagnosis, clinical form, anti-HIV exam, medical care, supervised treatment (in Portuguese, TDO), closure, and race.

Results:

The highest incidence rates in the period were among Afro-Brazilians, yellow, and indigenous peoples. The cases affected mainly adult men living in urban areas. Indigenous peoples showed the highest rates of notifications among people aged less than 10 years (12%). In the sputum test, missing information and not-performed exams reached more than 50.0% in all periods and groups. The cure was more prevalent among white people (66.2%); indigenous, brown, and Afro-Brazilian people presented the lowest cure rates: 59.4, 58.4, and 60%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Tuberculosis is one of the biggest problems in Rio Grande do Sul. The actions of diagnosis, clinical form, and treatment of the cases have not been implemented as proposed. The indigenous peoples' situation is similar and diverse at the same time in comparison with other peoples from different areas of Brazil. Nevertheless, it is unfavorable on a balanced evaluation of the whole scenario. Furthermore, the discrepancies among races are evident: the indigenous and Afro-Brazilian peoples fill the spread sheet, in general terms, on the worst situation, whereas the white people fill the data with the best health situation.

Spatial distribution of tuberculosis in indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the state of Pará, Brazil, 2005-2013

Abstract Objective: To analyze the incidence of tuberculosis in indigenous and non-indigenous residents in the state of Pará from 2005-2013. Method: An ecological study was performed with data from SINAN, stratified for the 13 existing Regional Health Centers in Pará. The tuberculosis incidence rates were calculated for indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the 13 regions and maps were prepared to visualize the magnitude of the occurrence of tuberculosis. Results: Significant differences in the incidence of tuberculosis were found among non-indigenous and indigenous populations, reaching 7,812/100,000 inhabitants and 118/100,000 inhabitants respectively. Conclusion: Tuberculosis was distributed heterogeneously among the indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Moreover, it was possible to identify areas with high risk for this disease. It is important to note that knowledge about priority areas for tuberculosis control can help health service management to improve indicators that assess this disease and to develop different policies for indigenous peoples.

Prevalence and factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection in an indigenous population in the Brazilian Amazon

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies have shown a high incidence and prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in indigenous populations around the World. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and annual risk of infection (ARI) as well as to identify factors associated with LTBI in an indigenous population from the Brazilian Amazon.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2011. We performed tuberculin skin tests (TSTs), smears and cultures of sputum samples, and chest radiographs for individuals who reported cough for two or more weeks. Associations between LTBI (TST ≥5mm) and socio-demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics were investigated using Poisson regression with robust variance. Prevalence ratio (PR) was used as the measure of association.

RESULTS

We examined 263 individuals. The prevalence of LTBI was 40.3%, and the ARI was 2.4%. Age ≥15 years [PR=5.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.5-8.6], contact with tuberculosis (TB) patients (PR=3.8; 95% CI: 1.2-11.9), previous TB history (PR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.2-1.7), and presence of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) scar (PR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-2.9) were associated with LTBI.

CONCLUSIONS

Although some adults may have been infected years prior, the high prevalence of infection and its strong association with age ≥15 years, history of TB, and recent contact with TB patients suggest that the TB transmission risk is high in the study area.

Ethnic and Racial Inequalities in Notified Cases of Tuberculosis in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

This study analysed clinical and sociodemographic aspects and follow-up for notified cases of tuberculosis (TB) and explored inequalities in incidence rates and outcome by colour or race and the geographic macro-regions of Brazil.

METHODS

This paper reports the results of a population-based descriptive epidemiological study of all notified cases of TB in Brazil during the period from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2011. We analysed sociodemographic and clinical variables according to colour or race (white, black, Asian, mixed, and indigenous) and geographic macro-regions of the country (North, Northeast, Central-West, South, and Southeast).

RESULTS

During the study period, the average incidence of TB in Brazil was 36.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest rates occurring in the North and Southeast regions. The analysis of TB notifications by colour or race revealed that the indigenous population presented the highest incidence rates in all macro-regions except the South, where higher rates were reported in black patients. 'Cured' was the most frequently reported treatment outcome for all skin colour categories. The highest cure rate occurred among the indigenous population (76.8%), while the lowest cure rate occurred among the black population (70.7%). Rates of treatment default were highest among blacks (10.5%) and lowest among the indigenous population (6.9%). However, the fatality rate was similar across race categories, varying between 2.8% and 3.8% for whites and the indigenous population, respectively. The lowest cure rates were observed when follow-up was inadequate (58.3%), and the highest was observed when the follow-up was classified as excellent (96.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that-apart from the heterogeneous distribution of TB among the Brazilian macro-regions-ethnic-racial inequalities exist in terms of clinical-epidemiological characteristics and incidence rates as well as follow-up for cases undergoing treatment. The highest rates of TB occurred among the indigenous people.

Therapeutic itineraries and explanations for tuberculosis: an indigenous perspective

OBJECTIVE

To analyze explanations for tuberculosis and therapeutic itineraries of Brazilian indigenous people.

METHODS

Case study with a qualitative-descriptive approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 Munduruku indigenous, including direct observation of treatment for tuberculosis in the municipality of Jacareacanga, south-western region of the state of Para, Brazil. To identify explanations for tuberculosis and therapeutic itineraries, we performed thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

Traditional medicine was the first therapeutic option chosen by the indigenous. However, biomedicine was also employed, which indicates a circulation between different therapeutic contexts and health concepts among the Munduruku. The explanations provided ranged from recognition of the signs and symptoms specific to tuberculosis to the attribution of the disease to a spirit that leaves the body and wanders in the woods, returning ill into the body. Unlike the biomedical model, which links tuberculosis transmission strictly to interpersonal contact, in closed spaces without natural lighting and ventilation (preferably domestic environments), the Munduruku associate the disease to an indirect contact between people socially distant (enemies or adversaries) in public and open places.

CONCLUSIONS

The explanations made by the indigenous are unique and deserve the attention of those who are responsible for developing health public policies, as well as of the teams who work on the villages. To guarantee an efficient control of tuberculosis in these regions, it is necessary that the developed actions integrate biomedicine knowledge and the traditional medicine of the indigenous people, in addition to respecting and welcoming local culture manifestations.

Pulmonary tuberculosis in São Luis, State of Maranhão, Brazil: space and space-time risk clusters for death (2008-2012)

INTRODUCTION

The objective was to identify space and space-time risk clusters for the occurrence of deaths in a priority city for the control of tuberculosis (TB) in the Brazilian Northeast.

METHODS

Ecological research was undertaken in the City of São Luis/Maranhão. Cases were considered that resulted in deaths in the population living in the urban region of the city with pulmonary TB as the basic cause, between 2008 and 2012. To detect space and space-time clusters of deaths due to pulmonary TB in the census sectors, the spatial analysis scan technique was used.

RESULTS

In total, 221 deaths by TB occurred, 193 of which were due to pulmonary TB. Approximately 95% of the cases (n=183) were geocoded. Two significant spatial clusters were identified, the first of which showed a mortality rate of 5.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year and a high relative risk of 3.87. The second spatial cluster showed a mortality rate of 0.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year and a low relative risk of 0.10. A significant cluster was observed in the space-time analysis between 11/01/2008 and 04/30/2011, with a mortality rate of 8.10 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year and a high relative risk (3.0).

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of priority sites for the occurrence of deaths can support public management to reduce inequities in the access to health services and permit an optimization of the resources and teams in the control of pulmonary TB, providing support for specific strategies focused on the most vulnerable populations.

Use of conventional PCR and smear microscopy to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis in the Amazonian rainforest area

The diagnostic usefulness of Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN)-stained sputum smears combined with conventional polymerase chain reaction (ZN/PCR) to amplify IS6110 region DNA extracted from ZN slides was evaluated. The objective was to verify if this association could improve tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in patients at remote sites. The study was carried out in 89 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB as defined by the Brazilian Manual for TB Treatment. The participants were recruited in a reference unit for TB treatment in Rondônia, a state in the Amazonian area in northern Brazil. ZN, PCR, and culture performed in the sputum samples from these patients were analyzed in different combinations (i.e., ZN plus PCR and ZN plus culture). The prevalence rates of pulmonary TB in these patients were 32.6 and 28.1% considering culture and ZN/PCR, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ZN/PCR were 86 and 93%, respectively. ZN/PCR was able to detect more TB cases than ZN alone. This method could offer a new approach for accurate tuberculosis diagnosis, especially in remote regions of the world where culture is not available.

Individual and social vulnerabilities upon acquiring tuberculosis: a literature systematic review

Tuberculosis is a contagious infectious disease mainly caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis that still meets the priority criteria - high magnitude, transcendence and vulnerability - due to the threat it poses to public health. When taking into consideration the vulnerability conditions that favor the onset of the disease, this article aimed to investigate the implications originated from individual and social vulnerability conditions in which tuberculosis patients are inserted. Databases like MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO were searched in Portuguese, Spanish and English using the descriptors tuberculosis and vulnerability, and 183 articles were found. After the selection criterion was applied, there were 22 publications left to be discussed. Some of the aspects that characterize the vulnerability to tuberculosis are: low-income and low-education families, age, poor living conditions, chemical dependency, pre-existing conditions/aggravations like diabetes mellitus and malnutrition, indigenous communities, variables related to health professionals, intense border crossings and migration, difficulty in accessing information and health services and lack of knowledge on tuberculosis. Much as such aspects are present and favor the onset of the disease, several reports show high incidence rates of tuberculosis in low vulnerability places, suggesting that some factors related to the disease are still unclear. In conclusion, health promotion is important in order to disfavor such conditions or factors of vulnerability to tuberculosis, making them a primary target in the public health planning process and disease control.

Health-service performance of TB treatment for indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Brazil: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Health-service evaluation studies are fundamental for proposing interventions and ensuring improvements in healthcare quality. The present study assesses the performance of health services for indigenous and non-indigenous populations with regard to tuberculosis (TB) control.

METHODS

Interviews with TB patients who underwent treatment between 2009 and 2011 were conducted using the Primary Care Assessment Tool adapted for TB care in Brazil.

RESULTS

Primary healthcare (PHC) was the first treatment for most patients at symptom onset, and the diagnoses were typically performed by specialized services. Many patients experienced delayed TB diagnoses that required more than three medical appointments (51% and 47% for indigenous and non-indigenous populations, respectively). Indigenous people received social support, such as basic-needs grocery packages (2.19 ± 1.63 vs. 1.13 ± 0.49 for non-indigenous people, p < 0.01) and home visits from health professionals, with an emphasis on the performance of directly observed treatment strategies (DOT; 4.57 ± 0.89 vs. 1.68 ± 1.04 for non-indigenous people, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of the differences between indigenous and non-indigenous populations, the time needed to receive a TB diagnosis was unsatisfactory for both groups. Furthermore, DOT must be performed with better coverage among non-indigenous patients.

A spatial analysis of social and economic determinants of tuberculosis in Brazil

We investigated the spatial distribution, and social and economic correlates, of tuberculosis in Brazil between 2002 and 2009 using municipality-level age/sex-standardized tuberculosis notification data. Rates were very strongly spatially autocorrelated, being notably high in urban areas on the eastern seaboard and in the west of the country. Non-spatial ecological regression analyses found higher rates associated with urbanicity, population density, poor economic conditions, household crowding, non-white population and worse health and healthcare indicators. These associations remained in spatial conditional autoregressive models, although the effect of poverty appeared partially confounded by urbanicity, race and spatial autocorrelation, and partially mediated by household crowding. Our analysis highlights both the multiple relationships between socioeconomic factors and tuberculosis in Brazil, and the importance of accounting for spatial factors in analysing socioeconomic determinants of tuberculosis.

Identification of urban leprosy clusters

Overpopulation of urban areas results from constant migrations that cause disordered urban growth, constituting clusters defined as sets of people or activities concentrated in relatively small physical spaces that often involve precarious conditions. Aim. Using residential grouping, the aim was to identify possible clusters of individuals in São José do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, who have or have had leprosy. Methods. A population-based, descriptive, ecological study using the MapInfo and CrimeStat techniques, geoprocessing, and space-time analysis evaluated the location of 425 people treated for leprosy between 1998 and 2010. Clusters were defined as concentrations of at least 8 people with leprosy; a distance of up to 300 meters between residences was adopted. Additionally, the year of starting treatment and the clinical forms of the disease were analyzed. Results. Ninety-eight (23.1%) of 425 geocoded cases were located within one of ten clusters identified in this study, and 129 cases (30.3%) were in the region of a second-order cluster, an area considered of high risk for the disease. Conclusion. This study identified ten clusters of leprosy cases in the city and identified an area of high risk for the appearance of new cases of the disease.