Malaria in Amapa State, Brazil, 1970-2003: background and control

The present study aims to describe malaria occurrence from 1970 to 2003 in the State of Amapa, Brazil. With positive films obtained from health agencies, temporal series on the annual parasite incidence - API (per 1,000 inhabitants) were elaborated, taking into account population data available from the Brazilian institute of Geography and Statistics. The results showed an increase in API values, although nonlinear, related to the rapid population growth associated with regional economic and social development during the period, ranging from 15.1%. in 1970 to 74.0%. in 2000. Reversing this trend, a decrease appeared from 2001 onward, reaching a reduction of 50% in 2002. The results showed an increase in API values from 1970 to 2000, consistent with the incidence profile for malaria occurrence in the Amazon. A reduction in API was observed by 2002, reaching the goals set by the current control program.