EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF ACUTE CHAGAS DISEASE IN THE STATE OF PARÁ: ANALYSIS OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

Chagas disease is an infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It has various forms of transmission, most notably through the consumption of contaminated foods, such as açaí, which is prevalent in the Amazon. The objective was to characterize the epidemiological and sociodemographic profile of Acute Chagas Disease (ACD) cases in Pará between 2017 and 2022. This is a descriptive and quantitative study using data from SINAN, statistically analyzed in Bioestat 5.3. A total of 1,588 cases were reported, predominantly in men (53.1%), individuals of mixed race (86.1%), and those aged 20 to 39 years (34.4%). Seasonality peaked from August to October, with the highest incidence in the Tocantins (33.7%), Metropolitana I (27.9%), and Marajó II (21.5%) regions. The data indicate a strong association between oral transmission and açaí consumption, reflecting the region's typical social and economic vulnerabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic was found to have contributed to underreporting in 2020. The study highlights the urgency of regional preventive policies, especially in critical açaí harvest areas and periods, aimed at reducing the incidence and impact of ACD in the Amazon.

Keywords: Chagas disease. Pará. Epidemiology. Oral transmission. Social vulnerability.

Published
2026-03-18