American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Eastern Minas Gerais: veiled reality of a neglected disease

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the notified and confirmed cases of ACL in a municipality in east Minas Gerais, from 2007 to 2020. Methods: a combined study was carried out as a cross-sectional and an ecological approach of time series type, using notified and confirmed ACL cases, from 2007 to 2020. Primary and secondary data were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (simple linear regression, T-test, Mann-Whitney, chi-square (χ2) at a 5% significance level). Results: a total of 219 cases were reported with a decreasing temporal trend, with a higher frequency observed for the cutaneous form (82.6%), age group 40 to 59 years (32.1%), black race (56.4%), and completed elementary school (47.7%). Individuals with the mucosal clinical form had lesions for a longer time, a greater chance of not progressing to cure, and used more vials of meglumine antimoniate when compared to patients with the cutaneous form. Conclusions: different correlations were observed between the variables studied and the profile of involvement described in the scientific literature, with the clinical form predominantly cutaneous and with a good prognosis.