Keywords
Epidemiology
Maranhão
Health surveillance
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of leprosy in the state of Maranhão and in the Imperatriz microregion from 2018 to 2024, with emphasis on the temporal distribution of cases, detection rates according to sex and age group, municipal distribution within the microregion, and clinical-operational markers at diagnosis. Methods: This is an ecological, descriptive, and analytical study based on secondary data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System, made available through DATASUS/TabNet. Results: The maintenance of high coefficients was observed, with predominance among males, greater magnitude in adult and older age groups, persistence of cases in children under 15 years of age, regional concentration in Imperatriz and Açailândia, and predominance of cases with more than five lesions at diagnosis. These findings are consistent with maintenance of the transmission chain, territorial heterogeneity, and persistence of late diagnosis, in agreement with the national and international literature. Conclusion: Leprosy remains a relevant public health problem in Maranhão and in the Imperatriz microregion, requiring strengthened surveillance, expansion of timely diagnosis, contact examination, and qualification of primary health care.
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