Hepatites virais no estado do Maranhão, Brasil: características epidemiológicas da infecção em anos recentes

Viral hepatites in the state of Maranhão, Brazil: epidemiological characteristics of the infection in recent years

Abstract

Viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem in Brazil. These are infections that affect the liver, causing mild, moderate or severe changes. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of people affected by viral hepatitis between 2010 and 2018 in the state of Maranhão. Confirmed cases of viral hepatitis were consulted on the platform of the Information Technology Department of the Unified Health System, and the following variables were analyzed: confirmed cases by year, gender, age, education, race, transmission mechanism, etiological classification and clinical form. Between 2010 and 2018, 5,380 cases of viral hepatitis were confirmed, been the majority in 2011, with 943 cases (17.5%). Most confirmed cases of viral hepatitis during the study period were found in males (2,696 cases; 50.1%; U = 30.5; p = 0.91), aged between 20 and 39 years (1,528 cases; 28.4%; H = 60.6; p < 0.0001), in individuals with complete high school (939 cases; 21.3%; H = 59.3; p < 0.0001) and brown race (3,411 cases; 70.4%; H = 39.4; p < 0.0001). As for the etiological classification, most of those were affected with virus A (1900 cases; 37.7%; H = 49.7; p < 0.0001). The importance of knowing the frequency of cases of viral hepatitis in the state of Maranhão is highlighted, to understand its spread and, thus, have subsidies for control measures to fight the infection.