Infectious meningitis: epidemiological aspects of the disease in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul

Vigil Sanit Debate, Rio de Janeiro, 2024, v.12: e02277 | Published on: 28/05/2024

Abstract

Introduction: Meningitis is a global medical emergency that requires immediate diagnosis and treatment due to its high mortality and morbidity rates. Objective: To depict the epidemiology of infectious meningitis in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul from 2010 to 2022. Method: For this research, a cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted using the state of Mato Grosso do Sul as the unit of  analysis. The sample was delimited to the period from 2010 to 2022, and the information was coded and collected from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), considering the year and month of notification, notification municipality, age, sex, race/color, education, etiology, serogroup, confirmation criteria, and case evolution. Results: During the analyzed period, 2,826 cases of meningitis were reported, with 71.3% confirmed. The most affected individuals were males of mixed race/color and children aged 0 to 9 years. The prevalence in the state was 7.7 cases per 10,000 inhabitants. The majority of meningitis cases (39.7%) were classified as unspecified meningitis and 23.1% as aseptic meningitis. The lethality rate during the study period was 11.3%, with a concentration of deaths at the extremes of age. Conclusions: Although meningitis is a well-known disease, its lethality rate remains high. It is suggested to intensify control and prevention actions in municipalities, combined with demonstrating the importance of notifying the disease to epidemiological surveillance, which will help in organizing more targeted and specific action strategies to combat cases.