Tuberculosis and malaria walk side by side in Brazilian Amazon

01 Aug 2019
Teixeira R, Rodrigues MGA, Ferreira MD, Borges MC, Safe I, Melo GC, Spener R, Garrido MS, Monteiro WM, Siqueira AM, Lacerda MVG, Cordeiro-Santos M, de Souza Sampaio V

OBJECTIVE

To assess the spatial distribution of TB and malaria incidence, as well as their spatial association with each other, regardless of environmental and socio-economic factors commonly reported as determinants of both disease rates among the municipalities of Amazonas State, Brazil between 2012 and 2015.

METHODS

Through an ecological approach considering municipalities of Amazonas, Brazil, as unit of analysis, a negative binomial regression model was used to assess association between malaria and TB rates, in which the dependent variable was the average municipal tuberculosis incidence rate.

RESULTS

Positive associations of overall malaria (β = 0.100 [CI = 0.032, 0.168], P = 0.004), P. vivax malaria (β = 0.115 [CI = 0.036, 0.195], P = 0.005), and P. falciparum malaria (β = 0.389 [CI = -0.0124, 0.791], P = 0.057) with TB rates were found, regardless of the sociodemographic factors included in the study.

CONCLUSION

In the Brazilian Amazon, TB and malaria are spatially associated. Therefore, it is very likely that co-infections also occur in this region, regardless of the HIV status.