Hospital Geral César Cals de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2009 Oct;26(4):330-3. doi: 10.1590/s1020-49892009001000007.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in Brazil and appears to occur in epidemic form in the state of Ceará. Few epidemiologic studies have been done on VL in this state. The aim of this study is to establish the epidemiologic pattern of VL in Fortaleza City and to show how urbanization has occurred in recent years.
Data were obtained from the State Health Department of Fortaleza, Ceará, and included all cases of VL registered in Fortaleza from January 2001 to December 2006.
There were a marked increase and an elevated incidence of cases of VL in urban areas. Children and young people were the most affected group.
The epidemic occurrence of VL in the region must convince authorities to adopt more adequate policies of disease control.
内脏利什曼病（VL）在巴西流行，在塞阿拉州似乎呈流行形式。关于该州的 VL，进行的流行病学研究很少。本研究旨在确定福塔莱萨市 VL 的流行病学模式，并展示近年来城市化的发展情况。
数据来自塞阿拉州福塔莱萨州卫生部门，包括 2001 年 1 月至 2006 年 12 月期间在福塔莱萨登记的所有 VL 病例。
城市地区 VL 病例明显增加，发病率升高。儿童和年轻人是受影响最严重的群体。
该地区 VL 的流行发生必须促使当局采取更适当的疾病控制政策。
