Abstract

MEDEIROS, Zulma; MENEZES, José Alexandre; CESSE, Eduarda Pessoa  and  LESSA, Fábio. Control of lymphatic filariasis in Brazil, 1951 - 2000. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2003, vol.12, n.2, pp.77-86. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742003000200003.

In this review article the activities for filariasis control in Brazil are analyzed for the period 1951-2000, evaluating their performance in the context of filiariasis elimination as a public health problem. A historical research was carried out by assessing bibliographic sources, publications, reports, and other texts with the purpose of characterising specific campaigns and programs and evaluating their effectiveness in the control of this endemic disease. For about five decades, control activities were structured in a centralizing manner and were based mainly on the identification of infected individuals. Campaigns and programs proved to be unsuccessful due to several factors, such as:absence of a health policy; the structure of the assistence model; the execution of activities at various levels of the public health structure; besides the predominant type of intervention exclusively biological and verticalized with no participation of the community, among others. A new proposal arose in 1996 with the National Plan for Bancroftian Filariasis Elimination, still in implementation. The plan introduces innovations since it bases the activities on an articulation between the spheres of the government, in accordance with the principles of the National Health System (SUS). Its management has been delegated to the state health departments and the implementation, to the municipal health bureaus. Monitoring this plan will provide information that will contribute to further strengthen the campaigns and programs directed to the control of filariasis in Brazil.

Keywords : Wuchereria bancrofti; endemic disease control; lymphatic filariasis.

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