BATISTA, J. V.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5470133432989985; BATISTA, Jocélio Vitorino.
Abstract:
Leprosy is one of the oldest known diseases in humanity’s history, surrounded by stigmas and
taboos, which keep characterizing a global public health problem, especially in Brazil. A
disease of compulsory notification, it is characterized for being features infect-contagious,
slow evolutionary, disabling, high infectivity and low pathogenicity, caused by
Mycobacterium leprae that manifests itself by dermato-neurological signs and symptoms.
This study aims at knowing the epidemiological situation of leprosy in the district of Aurora-
CE, in the period from 2003 to 2013, and its specific objectives are to identify the socio-
demographic and clinical profile of the cases of leprosy and calculate the epidemiological
indicators: incidence rate and prevalence of the disease in each year studied. The research
adopted the approach type documentary, descriptive, exploratory characterized by a
quantitative approach. For the development of the research has been used the database of the
Information System for Notifiable Diseases-SINAN in the Department of Epidemiological
Surveillance of the Municipal Health of Aurora-CE, where has been obtained all the data that
interest the study. The population has been composed for all the cases of leprosy reported in
the foregoing period and the sample has been 100%, 171 cases of the disease. The collection
was held in january 2015, through the consultation to the records of SINAN and the access to
SINAN’ s program of data for TABWIN, installed in the health secretary of the town. The
results have shown that over the years there was an increase in the number of cases,
predominantly in males, aged young adult, mixed race, with poor education and living in the
city. Regarding clinical form that was more prevalent dimorphic, with the operational
classification multibacillary. Most cases have presented more than five skin lesion, without
any affected nerve trunk, since the smear of lymph showed up positive in most cases
evaluated. The grade naught of disability prevailed at the time of diagnosis and all patients
underwent one of the schemes of multidrug-MDT. Most cases have been detected by
voluntary presentation, entering as a new case, and in almost all of them the outcome was
healing. Much of the contacts were examined, the city had a high rate of incidence and
prevalence of leprosy, not reaching the elimination goals of disease. From these results we see
the need to develop more effective control actions by managers, with emphasis on the training
of health professionals and active search for contacts, establishing the diagnosis and early
treatment in order to break the chain epidemiological, for the control and possible elimination
of the disease in the city.