Open AccessBasic and associated causes of schistosomiasis-related mortality in Brazil: A population-based study and a 20-year time series of a disease still neglected
Author(s) -
Wandklebson Silva da Paz,
Erica Dos Santos Reis,
Iane Brito Leal,
Yanna Menezes Barbosa,
Karina Conceição Gm de Araújo,
Amélia Ribeiro de Jesus,
Carlos Dornels Freire de Souza,
Allan Dantas dos Santos,
Márcio Bezerra Santos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of global health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.581
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 2047-2986
pISSN - 2047-2978
DOI - 10.7189/jogh.11.04061
Subject(s) - schistosomiasis , medicine , schistosoma , neglected tropical diseases , demography , disease , ecological study , public health , population , mortality rate , environmental health , disease burden , geography , immunology , schistosoma mansoni , pathology , surgery , helminths , sociology
Background Schistosomiasis is a persistent public health problem in Brazil. Regardless advances in diagnosis and mass treatment, schistosomiasis has a severe impact on morbimortality in the country and remains a neglected tropical disease. Herein, we assessed the basic and associated causes of schistosomiasis-related deaths and the temporal and spatial patterns of mortality from the disease in Brazil between 1999 and 2018. Methods We conducted an ecological and time series study. The segmented log-linear regression model was applied to assess time trends, considering all deaths recorded in the category B65/ICD-10. Additionally, we elaborated maps of mortality rates from schistosomiasis in Brazil. Results A total of 4168 schistosomiasis-related deaths were recorded in Brazil in this period, as an associated cause. Time trend analysis revealed an increase in the average age of deaths from schistosomiasis (annual percentage change (APC) = 0.84), and stable trend in Brazil (APC = 0.31). Concerning schistosomiasis-related deaths, we observed disorders related to the digestive system, liver diseases, septicemias, and chronic diseases. Surprisingly, there were deaths caused by non-endemic Schistosoma species in Brazil. Also, municipalities from non-endemic areas in Brazil presented schistosomiasis-related deaths. Conclusion Altogether, our analyses demonstrated that schistosomiasis remains a significant cause of death in Brazil, and it is increasing in some areas, especially in the Northeast region. Additionally, women and the elderly showed a stable time trend of deaths. Thereby, it urgently requires improvements in the control programs strategies, in the sense of an effective reduction in cases and deaths from the disease in Brazil.