Analysis of dengue prevalence in North region between 2018 and 2021

Abstract

Objective: to analyze dengue's prevalence in Brazil's North region from 2018 to 2021, comparing notifications before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: it was a descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional quantitative epidemiological study that addressed the prevalence of dengue in the northern region of Brazil from 2018 to 2021 and compared notifications before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We acquired data about the notifications in the Diseases and Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) section of DATASUS and subsequently analyzed it on the Excel platform. We chose the population included based on notifications made in the territory of the state of Tocantins between 2018 and 2021. Results: from 2018 to 2019, there were 53,596 dengue cases; December and February were the peak months in both biennials. In 2020/2021, there was an increase of 21%, totaling 64,856 cases. The age group that predominated in the study was 20–30 years old, and the majority were female, with mixed race being the most common ethnicity. Conclusion: the findings have practical implications, such as using different associated criteria for initial diagnosis and assistance in public prevention policies. Furthermore, the main limitation of this study occurred due to the narrow period studied.