Prevalência de meningites em Passo Fundo/RS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of meningitis in the city of Passo Fundo, State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), and to describe its epidemiological profile, as well as to evaluate the possible impact of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine on the children's immunization schedule in the public health system. This is an ecological study, based on a survey of the cases of meningitis reported between 2008 and 2017 in the database SINAN - National Notifiable Diseases. There was an average incidence of 46,4 cases of meningitis/ 100.000 inhabitants, with a higher occurrence in children and young adults, affecting 54% of males and 88.8% of Caucasian. More than 50% did not have the specified etiology. The most frequent symptoms were fever, headache and vomiting, and diagnostic confirmation was given by cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The majority of cases evolved to cure. It was not possible to analyze the serogroup specification for meningococcal meningitis nor to evaluate the impact of the vaccination on them, due to forms failures to complete the notifications, still reflecting the reality of epidemiological surveillance. Knowing the epidemiological characteristics of meningitis (of high morbidity and mortality worldwide) in a region would allow early diagnosis, better treatment and prevention of this pathology.