PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DE PACIENTES COM LEISHMANIOSE TEGUMENTAR NOTIFICADOS NO HOSPITAL UNIVERSITÁRIO MARIA APARECIDA PREDROSSIAM DURANTE A PANDEMIA

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis historically prevalent in forested areas, but deforestation and urbanization has become a peri-urban disease affecting large cities. The causative agent, protozoa of the genus Leishmania, develops both in vertebrate hosts, such as humans and dogs, and in the vector, female bloodfeeding insects, mainly of the genus Lutzomya. Leishmaniasis can have two main clinical forms: visceral and tegumentary, further subdivided into cutaneous, mucocutaneous and disseminated. Differential diagnosis is fundamental to the treatment choice and is carried out using laboratory methods, including parasitologic, serologic, histopathologic and molecular techniques. The use of laboratory techniques for correct diagnosis and epidemiologic surveillance are essential for effective control and management of the disease, which is endemic in several Brazilian states. This study aims to evaluate the sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory variables of patients diagnosed with American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) treated at the Maria Aparecida Pedrossian University Hospital (HUMAP) - UFMS, from January 2020 to December 2022. It is characterized as a cross-sectional observational study, with a retrospective, analytical and descriptive approach, which aims to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic profile of affected patients and to understand the determinants of the disease, to contribute to future research.