Chagas' disease in the State of Maranh?o, Brazil: record of acute cases from 1994 to 2008

摘要

INTRODUCTION: Chagas' disease is not considered an endemic disease in the State of Maranhão. However, entomological surveys showed high natural vector infection indices and acute cases have been identified in the last few decades. This study aimed to analyze the social, demographic and environmental conditions involved in transmission. METHODS: The study describes acute Chagas' disease identified from 1994 to 2008. Information regarding the cases was obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (Sinan), National Health Foundation (Funasa) database and medical records. Entomological surveys were conducted from 2002. RESULTS: Data analysis indentified 32 cases from 17 municipal districts, with 84.4% of patients from rural areas. The disease was more frequent in men (67%). The most frequent occupation was student, 38.9% of cases, followed by farmer and hunter, 27.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that transmission was vectorial and occurred in the wild or peridomicile.