Magnitude and Distribution of Deaths Due to Hantavirus in Brazil, 2007-2015

Objective: to describe the magnitude and temporal and spatial distribution of hantavirus cases and deaths in Brazil between 2007 and 2015.

Methods: descriptive study with data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN).

Results: 1,060 cases and 410 deaths were reported in the period; hantavirus lethality was 39.0%, varying according to month (from 28.6% in November to 50.7% in December), sex (37.4% in males and 42.6% in females), age (higher lethality in the elderly and children) and Brazilian regions (46.2% in the North, 32.9% in the South); most of the individuals who died lived in urban areas (58.3%) and were infected in rural area (70.2%).

Conclusion: high lethality in certain population groups, months of the year and regions of Brazil point to low clinical suspicion of the disease in groups with low exposure, which may compromise proper case management.