EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ACUTE FLACCID PARALYSIS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) is a set of signs and symptoms that refer to complications arising from injuries to lower motor neurons, which are related to diseases, such as polio and metabolic diseases. The objective was to characterize the epidemiological profile of AFP in Brazil, in order to denote its evolution in a decade. The data were extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and comprised the period from 2010 to 2019. The values ​​referring to the variables: total cases, sex, race/color, age group, confirmation criteria, final classification and evolution of the case were tabulated with the aid of the Excel 2010 program and processed in the Action 3.7 software. Between 2010 and 2019, 4703 patients with AFP were notified, which showed a pattern of normality (p=0.07). 2018 had the highest number of notifications (520/11.06%). The Northeast region showed the highest number of cases (1755/37.32%). As for sex, there was a statistical difference (p=0.3082) and the male gender exceeded the female gender. The AFP record was concentrated in greater number in individuals of the Brown race/color (2320/99.33%), with the highest prevalence being in the range of 1 to 4 years (1694/36.02%). In the final classification, there were no records in the category “Confirmed Wild Poliovirus”. Therefore, none of the cases was caused by wild poliovirus, which shows the effective maintenance of polio eradication in Brazil. However, the low specification was found in the diagnostic criterion used and in the classification of cases in relation to other causes of AFP.