Emergência de saúde pública de importância internacional : resposta brasileira à síndrome congênita associada à infecção pelo Zika vírus, 2015 e 2016

Introdução: A Emergência de Saúde Pública de Importância Internacional foi declarada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde em fevereiro de 2016, em decorrência da notificação e resposta do governo brasileiro ao aumento da prevalência de microcefalia e outras alterações do sistema nervoso central. Esse evento é considerado uma das epidemias de maior complexidade e impacto da história da saúde pública. Objetivo: Descrever os principais marcos da epidemia de Zika vírus (ZIKAV) no Brasil, relacionando às ações de saúde pública adotadas e caracterizar as diferenças regionais com base nas taxas de incidência de ZIKAV em gestantes e de prevalência de microcefalia em casos registrados no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação e no formulário de Registro de Eventos de Saúde Pública, no período de janeiro de 2015 a novembro de 2016. Metodologia: Foi realizada a revisão da literatura nas principais bases de dados e também da literatura cinzenta (protocolos, portarias, manuais e informes) buscando elementos que fundamentaram as ações de saúde pública e fatos que marcaram o histórico desta epidemia no Brasil. Também foi realizada análise descritiva e comparativa das bases de dados do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) e do formulário de Registro de Eventos de Saúde Pública (RESP), no Brasil no período de janeiro de 2015 a novembro de 2016. Resultados: Em 22 de outubro de 2015, a Secretaria de Saúde de Pernambuco notificou o aumento na prevalência de microcefalia, no Estado. Em 11 de novembro foi declarada a emergência de saúde pública de importância nacional e em 1º de fevereiro de 2016, a Organização Mundial da Saúde declara emergência de saúde pública de importância internacional. Entre 2015 e 2016, foram notificadas 41.473 gestantes com quadro clínico compatível com ZIKAV e, no mesmo período, foram notificados e confirmados 1.950 casos de microcefalia. Destes, 70% foram confirmados por método de imagem. Observou-se que em 2015 a região mais afetada foi a nordeste e em 2016, apesar de não apresentar a mesma magnitude, observou-se uma possível segunda onda de casos de microcefalia a partir do mês de junho, principalmente na região centro-oeste, corroborando com a maior circulação de casos de ZIKAV no primeiro semestre. Limitações: O uso de dados secundários (oportunidade, completitude, representatividade, subnotificação etc), a indisponibilidade de testes laboratoriais para ZIKAV, principalmente no início da epidemia em 2015, o conhecimento limitado sobre a doença e suas consequências, apesar dos avanços nos últimos meses, a indisponibilidade de série histórica de microcefalia e outras anomalias congênitas para essa condição e o proxy de infecção pelo ZIKAV: casos negativos de dengue e chikungunya e microcefalia relacionada à infecção. Conclusões: Conclui-se que o desencadeamento da resposta em suas quatro fases operacionais foi oportuno, apesar das limitações do conhecimento; fundamentou-se na Legislação e instrumentos próprios para resposta às ESP e na melhor evidência disponível em cada fase operacional. Até o final de 2016, a magnitude da Síndrome Congênita Associada à Infecção pelo Vírus Zika vírus (SCZ) não apresentou o mesmo padrão observado em 2015, sendo que a região Nordeste apresentou maior magnitude somente na primeira onda (setembro/2015-abril/2016); Em 2016, a região Centro-Oeste apresentou a maior magnitude de casos de SCZ, seguida das regiões Sudeste e Norte. Esse padrão corrobora com o nexo causal entre infecção pelo ZIKAV na gestação e a manifestação da SCZ. Muitos avanços foram alcançados nos últimos dois anos. No entanto, ainda há importantes lacunas no conhecimento científico sobre o espectro clínico dessa nova doença e fatores relacionados à transmissão e endemicidade.Introduction: On February 2016, The World Health Organization declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This action, due to the Brazilian notification and response, after the prevalence of microcephaly and other Central Nervous System disorders increase in Northeast Region. This event is one of the most complex epidemics of the Public Health history. Objective: Describe the sequence of events which occurred from January 2015 to November 2016 in Brazil, as a result of Zika virus outbreaks and the related congenital syndrome; to characterize the main elements of the Brazilian National response to the epidemics describing the course of the dual epidemics of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy and microcephaly, from the registered cases at Brazilian National Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) and Public Health Events Registry (RESP) forms up to the first anniversary of this declaration in Brazil. Methods: To obtain a comprehensive chronologic description, of the main epidemiologic events and of the Brazilian response, we conducted a literature review and used third party (gray literature), and fundamental elements registered at the Brazilian National Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) and Public Health Events Registry (RESP) from January 2015 up to November 12th 2016. In order to describe the Brazilian response, we divided in four phases the operational response to the emergency in Brazil. Results: On October 22nd 2015 the Pernambuco Health Secretary notified the prevalence of Microcephaly increase. On November 11th 2016 the Ministry of Health declared Public Health Emergency of National Concern. On February 1st 2016 the World Health Organization declared (PHEIC) Public Health Emergency of International Concern, 41,473 pregnant women with some clinical signs, compatible with Zika virus, were notified between 2015 and 2016. In the same period, 1,950 cases of Microcephaly were reported and confirmed. From the reported cases, 70% cases were confirmed by imaging method. The Northeast Region was the most affected in 2015 and in 2016, although it did not present the same magnitude, a potential second wave of Microcephaly cases were observed, mainly in the Central Western Region. Limitations: Secondary data (opportunity, completeness, representativeness, underreporting etc.), the unavailability of laboratory tests for ZIKAV were used, mainly at the beginning of the epidemic in 2015. The limited knowledge about the disease and its consequences, despite of advanced months at the time being, combined with the unavailability of a historical series of Microcephaly and other congenital anomalies for this condition and the proxy of infection by ZIKAV: negative cases of Dengue and Chikungunya and Microcephaly related to infection. Conclusion: It was concluded that the triggering of the response, in its four operational phases, was timely despite of the knowledge limitations; it was based on the Legislation and its own instruments to respond to PHEIC, and on the most update existing evidences of the disease (self-limiting), its diagnostic and therapeutic method. To date, the magnitude of congenital syndrome associated with ZIKAV infection (SCZ) in 2016 did not follow the same pattern observed in 2015, and the Northeast Region was the region with the greatest impact of the SCZ epidemic during September 2015 thru April 2016, although with a very low expression in the end of the following year. In 2016, the pattern observed in the Central Western Region, and to a lesser extent in the Southeast and North Regions, corroborates the causal link between ZIKAV infection in pregnancy and the manifestation of Congenital Syndrome, and there are still important gaps as, scientific knowledge about the clinic aspect of this new disease and the related factors to the transmission and endemicity

Emergências de saúde pública: conceito, caracterização, preparação e resposta

During recent years has increased international concern about the spread of diseases or agents from infectious, chemical or radio-nuclear sources. Aiming to adapt the concepts and measures to prevent or reduce the risk of this spread, was adopted by the countries the new concept of "public health emergency of international concern" under the IHR (2005), and implemented new strategies for strengthening the activities to prepare and response to such emergencies. Based on contextualized risk analysis of health events that can spread internationally, one search to get more appropriate tools to timely identification and intervention on these events. The adaptation of this concept for the purpose of national health surveillance and health care services in Brazil, has allowed a better management of health events that may represent risk of spread of diseases or injuries in the national territory and provide a more timely response. The analysis of these events, presented in this work, shows that the occurrence of environmental disasters with fewer number of events than infectious events, may constitute risk of damage or affect directly larger contingent of population. On the other hand, the infectious events, which usually occur as outbreaks or epidemics, affect a larger number of municipalities and have higher lethality. The measures adopted at the country to improve the health surveillance system on detection, preparedness and response to public health emergencies are described here and the main challenges in terms of managing this system are highlighted.Nos últimos anos, tem havido uma maior preocupação internacional com a disseminação ou propagação de agentes etiológicos e doenças, de natureza infecciosa, química e radionuclear. Visando adequar os conceitos e as medidas para evitar ou reduzir o risco dessa disseminação, foi adotado pelos países o novo conceito de emergência de saúde pública de importância internacional, no âmbito do RSI (2005), e implementadas novas estratégias para preparação e resposta a essas emergências. Com base em análise de risco contextualizada sobre eventos de saúde que podem se disseminar internacionalmente, busca-se contar com instrumentos mais oportunos que permitam a identificação e a atuação precoce sobre esses eventos. A adaptação desse conceito, para o propósito da vigilância em saúde e rede de atenção dos serviços de saúde nacional, tem permitido um melhor gerenciamento dos eventos de saúde que constituem risco de disseminação ou propagação de doenças ou agravos dentro do território nacional, além de oferecer uma resposta mais oportuna. A análise sobre esses eventos, realizada no presente trabalho, indica que a ocorrência de desastres ambientais, em número mais reduzido quando comparada com os eventos de natureza infecciosa, coloca em situação de risco a população ou gera danos à saúde em um contingente populacional maior. Por sua vez, os eventos de natureza infecciosa, que em sua maioria ocorrem sob a forma de surtos ou epidemias, acometem um maior número de municípios e apresentam maior letalidade. As medidas adotadas no país para aperfeiçoar o sistema de vigilância em saúde na detecção, preparação e resposta às emergências de saúde pública são descritas neste artigo e são destacados os principais desafios colocados pelos níveis de gestão do sistema

Public health emergencies : concept, characterization, preparation and response

Nos últimos anos, tem havido uma maior preocupação internacional com a disseminação ou propagação de agentes etiológicos e doenças, de natureza infecciosa, química e radionuclear. Visando adequar os conceitos e as medidas para evitar ou reduzir o risco dessa disseminação, foi adotado pelos países o novo conceito de emergência de saúde pública de importância internacional, no âmbito do RSI (2005), e implementadas novas estratégias para preparação e resposta a essas emergências. Com base em análise de risco contextualizada sobre eventos de saúde que podem se disseminar internacionalmente, busca-se contar com instrumentos mais oportunos que permitam a identificação e a atuação precoce sobre esses eventos. A adaptação desse conceito, para o propósito da vigilância em saúde e rede de atenção dos serviços de saúde nacional, tem permitido um melhor gerenciamento dos eventos de saúde que constituem risco de disseminação ou propagação de doenças ou agravos dentro do território nacional, além de oferecer uma resposta mais oportuna. A análise sobre esses eventos, realizada no presente trabalho, indica que a ocorrência de desastres ambientais, em número mais reduzido quando comparada com os eventos de natureza infecciosa, coloca em situação de risco a população ou gera danos à saúde em um contingente populacional maior. Por sua vez, os eventos de natureza infecciosa, que em sua maioria ocorrem sob a forma de surtos ou epidemias, acometem um maior número de municípios e apresentam maior letalidade. As medidas adotadas no país para aperfeiçoar o sistema de vigilância em saúde na detecção, preparação e resposta às emergências de saúde pública são descritas neste artigo e são destacados os principais desafios colocados pelos níveis de gestão do sistema.During recent years has increased international concern about the spread of diseases or agents from infectious, chemical or radio-nuclear sources. Aiming to adapt the concepts and measures to prevent or reduce the risk of this spread, was adopted by the countries the new concept of "public health emergency of international concern" under the IHR (2005), and implemented new strategies for strengthening the activities to prepare and response to such emergencies. Based on contextualized risk analysis of health events that can spread internationally, one search to get more appropriate tools to timely identification and intervention on these events. The adaptation of this concept for the purpose of national health surveillance and health care services in Brazil, has allowed a better management of health events that may represent risk of spread of diseases or injuries in the national territory and provide a more timely response. The analysis of these events, presented in this work, shows that the occurrence of environmental disasters with fewer number of events than infectious events, may constitute risk of damage or affect directly larger contingent of population. On the other hand, the infectious events, which usually occur as outbreaks or epidemics, affect a larger number of municipalities and have higher lethality. The measures adopted at the country to improve the health surveillance system on detection, preparedness and response to public health emergencies are described here and the main challenges in terms of managing this system are highlighted

Zika virus outbreak in Brazil

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is spreading rapidly within the Americas after originating from an outbreak in Brazil. We describe the current ZIKV infection epidemic in Brazil and the neurological symptoms arising. First cases of an acute exanthematic disease were reported in Brazil's Northeast region at the end of 2014. In March 2015, autochthonous ZIKV was determined to be the causative agent of the exanthematic disease. As cases of neurological syndromes in regions where ZIKV, dengue and/or Chikungunya viruses co-circulate were reported, ZIKV was also identified in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute neurological syndromes and previous exanthematic disease. By the end of September 2015, an increasing number of infants with small head circumference or microcephaly were noted in Brazil's Northeast which was estimated to be 29 cases between August and October. ZIKV was identified in blood and tissue samples of a newborn and in mothers who had given birth to infants with microcephaly and ophthalmological anomalies. In 2015, there were an estimated 440,000-1,300,000 Zika cases in Brazil. There have been 4,783 suspected cases of microcephaly, most of them in the Northeast of Brazil associated with 76 deaths. The Ministry of Health is intensifying control measures against the mosquito Aedes aegypti and implemented intensive surveillance actions. Further studies are needed to confirm the suspected association between ZIKV infection and microcephaly; to identify antiviral, immunotherapy, or prophylactic vaccine; to introduce diagnostic ELISA testing. Clinical and epidemiological studies must be performed to describe viral dynamics and expansion of the outbreak

Health surveillance at the SUS : development, effects and perspectives

Este artigo analisa o processo de construção da Vigilância em Saúde/VS no Brasil abordando o contexto político, histórico e organizacional deste componente do Sistema Único de Saúde, por meio do resgate histórico e apresentação dos avanços, limites, retrocessos e perspectivas. Ao longo da trajetória da VS, seus objetos de estudo e intervenção vêm se ampliando, fortalecendo a integração entre as diversas áreas da vigilância, aumentando sua capacidade de predição e intervenção. Evoluiu-se da vigilância das pessoas, para a das doenças e agora para a de riscos à saúde. A convocação da 1ª Conferência Nacional de Vigilância em Saúde, a ser realizada em 2018, oportuniza revisão e formulação de proposições voltadas para o fortalecimento da VS, expansão do seu escopo de ações e busca de alternativas adequadas e arrojadas, que garantam que a nova modalidade de financiamento do SUS aprovada em 2017, de fato, venha reforçar os avanços conquistados por este no campo da Saúde Coletiva.This article analyses the process of construction of Health Surveillance in Brazil concerning the political, historical and organizational context of this component of the Unified Health System (UHS), by means of its historical view and presentation of the advances, limits, setbacks and perspectives. Throughout trajectory of Health Surveillance, its objects of study and intervention have been expanded, strengthening the integration among the different areas of surveillance, increasing its capacity for prediction and intervention. It evolved from surveillance of people, to surveillance of diseases and now to surveillance of health risks, promoting greater articulation of HS professionals with agents of endemics and Family Health Teams. The first National Health Surveillance Conference, in February 2018, provided opportunities for discussion and formulation of proposals aimed at strengthening HS, expanding its scope of actions with a view to achieving a comprehensive care model. Adequate and audacious alternatives are necessary so that there are no setbacks in the financing modalities in order to maintain and expand the advances achieved in the field of Health Surveillance in Brazil

COVID-19 in Brazil: advantages of a socialized unified health system and preparation to contain cases

oai:ops.preprints.scielo.org:preprint/7The outbreak of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported for the first time in Wuhan, China in late December 2019 have rapidly spread to other countries and it was declared on January 30, 2020 as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization. Before the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Brazil, several measures have been implemented including the adjustment of legal framework to carry out isolation and quarantine. As the cases increased significantly, new measures, mainly to reduce mortality and severe cases, have also been implemented. Rapid and robust preparedness actions have been undertaken in Brazil while first cases have not yet been identified in Latin-American. The outcome of this early preparation should be analyzed in future studies

Influenza like illness monitoring in adults of the State Capitals and Federal District in Brazil by telephone survey

OBJETIVOS: Com o objetivo de estimar a prevalência da síndrome gripal em adultos das capitais e regiões do Brasil, realizou-se monitoramento da ocorrência de sinais e sintomas compatíveis por inquérito telefônico (VIGITEL) em 2010. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal que contou com 47.876 entrevistas nas capitais dos estados brasileiros e no Distrito Federal, com amostragem probabilística da população >18 anos, residente em domicílios com linha fixa de telefone. Foram analisadas as questões referentes à síndrome gripal e influenza pandêmica (H1N1) 2009, no período de 10 de janeiro a 30 de novembro de 2010. Os percentuais foram calculados para as regiões do país e para o Brasil e ponderados segundo a distribuição sociodemográfica da PNAD 2008. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de indivíduos, com algum sinal ou sintoma de gripe nos 30 dias anteriores à entrevista, foi de 31,2% (IC95% 30,2-32,2%). O relato de síndrome gripal foi mais frequente entre as mulheres, adultos jovens (18 a 29 anos) e aquelas pessoas com 9 a 11 anos de estudo. A maior prevalência de sinais ou sintomas gripais ocorreu na região Norte. Verificou-se tendência crescente com posterior decréscimo em todas as regiões, exceto na Nordeste. A procura pelo serviço de saúde foi relatada por 26,8% (IC95% 25,1-28,5) das pessoas que adoeceram. A suspeita médica de influenza pandêmica (H1N1) 2009 ocorreu em 2,6% (IC95% 1,8-3,4) dos entrevistados que relataram ter procurado o serviço de saúde. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados deste inquérito forneceram informações oportunas e úteis, as quais não foram captadas pelo sistema de vigilância tradicional, como a ocorrência de sinal ou sintoma gripal e a procura pelo serviço de saúde.OBJECTIVES: In order to estimate the prevalence of influenza like illness (ILI) in adults from all state capitals and geographic regions in Brazil, a periodical monitoring of ILI cases by the national telephone survey (VIGITEL) was carried out in 2010. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with 47,876 telephone interviews in the state capitals and Federal District, a probabilistic sample of adult population (>18 years-old) with landline telephone. Questions concerning the results of ILI cases and pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009, from January 10 to November 30, were analyzed. The proportion of cases stratified by sociodemographic characteristics and Brazilian geographic region was weighted with data from the National Survey with Household Sampling (PNAD) 2008. RESULTS: The prevalence of ILI cases in the last 30 days before interview was 31.2% (95%CI 30.2-32.2%) for all state capitals and the Federal District. This prevalence was higher among women, young adults (18 to 29 years-old) and individuals with 9 to 11 years of schooling. According to the geographic region analysis, Northern Brazil presented the highest prevalence of ILI cases. A tendency to increase with further decrease was observed among the geographic regions, except the Northeast. Need for health care assistance was reported by 26.8% (95%CI 25.1-28.5) from ILI cases. Among ILI cases that sought health care assistance, 2.6% (95%CI 1.8-3.4) reported pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 medical suspicion. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey supported influenza surveillance as it provided timeliness and useful surveillance information, which were not captured by the traditional surveillance system, as the occurrence of ILI and need of health care assistance

COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil : where are we at?

Objetive: To analyze the trends of COVID-19 in Brazil in 2020 by Federal Units (FU). Method: Ecological time-series based on cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 from March 11 to May 12. Joinpoint regression models were applied to identify points of inflection in COVID-19 trends, considering the days since the 50th confirmed case as time unit. Results: Brazil reached its 50th confirmed case of COVID-19 in 11 March 2020 and, 63 days after that, on May 12, 177,589 cases had been confirmed. The trends for all regions and FU are upward. In the last segment, from the 31st to the 63rd day, Brazil presented a daily percentage change (DPC) of 7.3% (95%CI= 7.2;7.5). For the country the average daily percentage change (ADPC) was 14.2% (95%CI: 13.8;14.5). The highest ADPC values were found in the North, Northeast and Southeast regions. Conclusions: In summary, our results show that all FUs in Brazil present upward trends of COVID-19. In some FUs, the slowdown in DPC in the last segment must be considered with caution. Each FU is at a different stage of the pandemic and, therefore, non-pharmacological measures should be adopted accordingly

Microcephaly in Pernambuco State, Brazil: epidemiological characteristics and evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of cutoff points for reporting suspected cases.

The increase in the number of reported cases of microcephaly in Pernambuco State, and Northeast Brazil, characterized an epidemic that led the Brazilian Ministry of Health to declare a national public health emergency. The Brazilian Ministry of Health initially defined suspected cases as newborns with gestational age (GA) ≥ 37 weeks and head circumference (HC) ≤ 33cm, but in December 2015 this cutoff was lowered to 32cm. The current study aimed to estimate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of different cutoff points for HC, using ROC curves, with the Fenton and Intergrowth (2014) curves as the gold standard. The study described cases reported in Pernambuco from August 8 to November 28, 2015, according to sex and GA categories. The Fenton and Intergrowth methods provide HC growth curves according to GA and sex, and microcephaly is defined as a newborn with HC below the 3rd percentile in these distributions. Of the 684 reported cases, 599 were term or post-term neonates. For these, the analyses with ROC curves show that according to the Fenton criterion the cutoff point with the largest area under the ROC curve, with sensitivity greater than specificity, is 32cm for both sexes. Using the Intergrowth method and following the same criteria, the cutoff points are 32cm and 31.5cm for males and females, respectively. The cutoff point identified by the Fenton method (32cm) coincided with the Brazilian Ministry of Health recommendation. Adopting Intergrowth as the standard, the choice would be 32cm for males and 31.5cm for females. The study identified the need to conduct critical and on-going analyses to evaluate cutoff points, including other characteristics for microcephaly case definition

Anomalias congênitas na perspectiva da vigilância em saúde: compilação de uma lista com base na CID-10

Objective. Propose a list of congenital anomalies with corresponding codes in the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), aiming at application in the scope of health surveillance. Methods. In December 2019, the following sources were searched: ICD-10, ICD-11, abnormalities monitored by three surveillance programs, and a database of rare diseases (Orphanet). The Abnormalities were extracted from these data sources, processed based on the ICD-10 and compiled with manual review. Results. 898 codes were identified, of which 619 (68.3%) were in Chapter XVII of ICD-10. Of the 279 codes in other chapters, 19 were exclusive of the ICD-11 search, 72 of the surveillance programs, 79 of the Orphanet and 36 of the ICD-10 search for terms. Conclusion. The codes contained in chapter XVII of ICD-10 do not capture the totality of congenital anomalies, indicating the need of adopting of an expanded list.Objetivo. Propor uma lista de anomalias congênitas com códigos correspondentes na Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde – 10a Revisão (CID-10), visando aplicação no âmbito da vigilância em saúde. Métodos. Em dezembro de 2019, realizou-se busca nas seguintes fontes de dados: CID-10; CID-11; anomalias monitoradas por três modelos de vigilância; base de informações sobre doenças raras (Orphanet). Realizou-se extração das anomalias a partir dessas fontes, processamento para correspondência com base na CID-10 e compilação mediante revisão manual. Resultados. Foram identificados 898 códigos, dos quais 619 (68,3%) constavam no capítulo XVII da CID-10. Dos 279 códigos de outros capítulos, 19 foram exclusivos da busca na CID-11, 72 dos modelos de vigilância, 79 da Orphanet e 36 da busca de termos na CID-10. Conclusão. Os códigos que constam do capítulo XVII da CID-10 não captam a totalidade das anomalias congênitas, indicando a necessidade de adoção de uma lista ampliada