Evolution and Challenges of Spotted Fever in Women in Brazil (2014-2024): A Descriptive Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21727/rpu.v16i1.5157Abstract
Introduction: Spotted Fever (SF) is a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, recognized as a public health problem in several regions of Brazil and the world. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological evolution and challenges in the clinical management of spotted fever in women in Brazil between 2014 and 2024. Methods: This is a descriptive and retrospective study, based on secondary data from the Epidemiological Panel of the Ministry of Health. Results: A total of 19,439 cases were reported, with 713 confirmed cases and a fatality rate of 23%. There was a significant reduction in fatality, from 37% in 2016 to 7.4% in 2024, associated with advances in diagnosis and treatment. São Paulo and Santa Catarina had the highest incidence. White women (61.43%) were more affected, especially in the 50-59 age group and under 10 years old. Exposure to vegetation was reported in 58% of confirmed cases. Fever (85.69%), headache (73.49%) and myalgia (67.88%) were the most common symptoms. Laboratory confirmation accounted for 86.4% of diagnoses. Discussion: FM has a high lethality rate due to late diagnosis, inadequate treatment and challenges in clinical management, in addition to factors such as the lack of rapid confirmatory tests and the unavailability of essential medicines. Conclusion: It is concluded that advances in health policies and disease control have been developed to reduce mortality, although challenges such as gaps in data collection and regional variations still persist.
Keywords: Epidemiology; Spotted Fever; Rickettsia; Tick-Borne Diseases; Women; Early Diagnosis.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Claudia Aparecida Godoy Rocha, Bianca Martricia Silva de Oliveira, Dheyme Eveline Silveira Franco, Leydiane Conceição Pompeu, Jéssica Batista do Santos, Sandra dos Santos Tavares
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