Meningitis in João Pessoa – PB

an epidemiological characterization

Abstract

Introduction: Meningitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the meninges, which can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, helminths, protozoa, or mechanical impacts, with infectious forms being the most common. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological aspects of meningitis cases in João Pessoa, between 2009 and 2019. Methods: This is an epidemiological, descriptive, analytical, and documentary study, in which data on confirmed cases in Brazil were extracted through the Information Technology Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). For statistical analysis, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (version 13.0) was used. Results: 297 cases of meningitis were confirmed, with the highest percentage (29%) and the highest incidence rate (11.5 cases/100 thousand inhabitants) recorded in 2011. The profile of those affected was mainly made up of male individuals, 5 to 9 years old, with low levels of education, living in urban areas, and of mixed ethnicity. A significantly positive association was found between the clinical outcome and education (p = 0.012). The main method used for diagnosis was chemo cytology. Regarding evolution, most cases progressed to discharge, although there was a 9.4% fatality rate. Among the various etiologies, the highest fatalities occurred in cases of unspecified meningitis (15%) and bacterial meningitis (12.1%). Conclusion: Meningitis remains an important public health problem in João Pessoa, requiring permanent attention from managers regarding the control and epidemiological monitoring of the disease.

Key words: Meningitis; Bacterioses; Epidemiology.