Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical ()

A major chikungunya epidemic with high mortality in northeastern Brazil

  • Adriana Rocha Simião,
  • Francisca Kalline de Almeida Barreto,
  • Rhaquel de Morais Alves Barbosa Oliveira,
  • John Washington Cavalcante,
  • Antônio Silva Lima Neto,
  • Rebeca Bandeira Barbosa,
  • Camila de Sousa Lins,
  • Anna Giulia Meira,
  • Fernanda Montenegro de Carvalho Araújo,
  • Daniele Rocha Queiroz Lemos,
  • Carlos Henrique Alencar,
  • Luciano Pamplona de Góes Cavalcanti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0266-2019
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 52

Abstract

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Abstract INTRODUCTION Chikungunya causes fever and severe and persistent joint pain. METHODS We reported a chikungunya outbreak that occurred in Ceará State, Brazil between 2016 and 2017 with emphasis on epidemiological characterization of cases, high number of deaths, mortality-associated factors, and spatial and temporal spread of the epidemic among municipalities. RESULTS: In November 2015, the first autochthonous cases of chikungunya were confirmed in Ceará, Brazil. In 2016-2017, 195,993 cases were reported, with an incidence of 2,186.5/100,000 inhabitants and 244 confirmed deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid transmission and high mortality rate are serious problems, especially in regions with co-circulating arboviruses.

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