Os impactos das estiagens de 2023 e 2024 nos casos positivos de malária no município de Alvarães-AM

Abstract

Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by protozoan species of the genus Plasmodium. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito during a blood meal. In Brazil, it is endemic, especially in the Amazon region, and responsible for the majority of reported cases. The objective of this study was to describe and characterize the incidence and impacts of the 2023 and 2024 droughts on positive malaria cases in the municipality of Alvarães-AM. A quantitative approach was used, analyzing epidemiological data from the Malaria Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Malária) and rainfall data from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) and the National Center for Monitoring and Alerting of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN). Descriptive and correlational statistical analyses were applied to verify the relationship between drought and malaria cases. The results recorded 4,451 positive cases over the two years, peaking in the driest months and with a predominance of Plasmodium vivax. The municipality presented a very high Annual Parasite Incidence (API) during this period. An inverse relationship was identified between rainfall and the number of cases, as the lowest rainfall coincided with a high number of malaria cases. Localities with greater socio-environmental vulnerability, such as Igarapé do Jarauá, Miriti 2, and the Santa Luzia neighborhood, were the most affected by positive malaria cases. It is understood that severe droughts directly and significantly impacted the incidence of malaria, with high transmission in Alvarães-AM. This work recommends the improvement of epidemiological surveillance and vector control, especially during dry periods