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Título

Viral Meningitis: An Epidemiological Analysis in One Decade in Brazil with the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Resumo

Introduction: Accordingly, to the Brazilian Ministry of Health between 2007 and 2020 more than 265 thousand cases of meningitis were confirmed. Viral meningitis was responsible for 45,9% of the confirmed cases. The social isolation of the COVID-19 could have affected this scenario. Objective: Analyze the latest epidemiological findings of viral meningitis among the Brazilian regions in the last decade (2012-2021) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Epidemiological, retrospective, descriptive study, carried out with data obtained from the Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS) and data published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). From these data, the number of hospitalizations per million people of each Brazilian region per year of the period was calculated. For a more elaborate analysis, the variables, age group of patients, gender, value of hospital services, average length of stay and the mortality rate per year of care were considered. Results: In 2012, the hospitalization rate for viral meningitis per million people was 20,70 in Brazil. The Southern region had the highest rate (24,92) and the Northern region had the lowest (9,44). The national cost per admission was R$ 892,78, and the 1-4 years old age group was the most affected, representing 19% of the hospitalizations. Males represented most admissions (58%), and the average duration of hospital stay was 7,2 days with a mortality rate of 3,04. By the end of 2021, hospitalization rate per million was 4,95, representing a 76% decrease. The Southern region continued with the highest rate, 8,26, while the Northeastern region had the lowest rate with 3,02. The average cost per admission in 2021 was R$ 1341,33, 50% more expensive than in 2012. Moreover, the below 1 year old age group was the most affected, while the age group of 5-9 years old had the highest variation, with a decrease of 88%. The male sex remained the most affected, with 54%. Besides, the average duration of hospital stay in 2021 was 8 days, and the national mortality rate was 5,88, 93% higher than in 2012. Conclusion: This study made it possible to identify the population most affected by viral meningitis in Brazil, and the changes sustained in the last decade. Moreover, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its forced social isolation should be further analyzed since this study demonstrated a big decrease of the hospitalization rate but an associated rise in mortality and length of stay.

Palavras Chave

Viral Meningitis; COVID-19 ; Epidemiological