Spatial and temporal distribution of dengue in Brazil, 1990-2017

Dengue is a viral disease caused by an arbovirus of the genus Flavivirus transmitted in Brazil by the mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762). Simultaneous circulation of the four viral serotypes (DENV1, 2, 3 and 4) has been occurring since 2010 and determines a scenario of hyperendemicity of the disease in the country. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological situation of dengue in Brazil in the last three decades. This is a descriptive, observational study that used data of dengue notifications of the National Surveillance System from 1990 to 2017, available in the Epidemiological Bulletins and publications of the Ministry of Health. Dengue incidence increased in all Brazilian regions and the interepidemic periods are distinct in the different regions. The greatest epidemics was recorded in 2015 (1,688,688 cases), with an incidence of 826.0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which illustrates the occurrence of dengue in the last decade with increasingly higher epidemic peaks and shortening of the interepidemic periods. The incidence and mortality indices point to the need to improve the organization of response to dengue epidemics. This study provides information on the epidemiology of dengue in the country and can be used in the formulation of public health policies to reduce the impacts of viral transmission.