EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF MALARIA IN THE STATE OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL, 1983 TO 1992

Epidemiological aspects of malaria in the State of S.Paulo, Brazil, based on the cases motified between 1983 and 1992 are presented. In the period 20,200 cases, of which 65.7% presented Plasmodium vivax (P.v) and 27.3% P. falciparum (P.f.), were confirmed. No differences as between the years was observed. No differences in the distribution by sex (85,4% male) or age (63.6% white ages between 20 and 39 years) were noted. The epidemiological investigations demonstrated that in 2.0% the transmission of malaria has occurred in two different areas of the State of S.Paulo. One of these areas is covered with Atlantic forest where malaria is considered endemic, with a predominance of P. vivax and low parasitaemias associated with Kerteszia. The other area is the Paulista plateau, where Nyssorhynchus and patients with imported malaria were responsible for pochets P.V. and P.f. It was noted that 91.6% of the cases came from other regions of the country, 89.0% of them from Rondomia, Mato Grosso and Para. The increase in the number of cases from Mato Grosso, corresponding to 51.7% of the total in 1992, was verified over this ten-years period. Malaria induced by blood transfusion and among drug users represented 27 and 58 cases, respectively. The lethality rate was 5.0/1,000 patients and occurred among patients with first time and late diagnosis of P. falciparum malaria. The study of this information adds its contributions for malaria surveillance.