Polio and the drop in vaccination coverage in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Polio is an acute infectious and contagious disease caused by the poliovirus, which lives in the intestine and can infect children and adults through direct contact with secretions eliminated from the mouth or feces of infected individuals, potentially leading to paralysis. Emerging in Brazil at the end of the 19th century, poliomyelitis caused numerous outbreaks and epidemics across the national territory, necessitating extraordinary efforts from health authorities to combat this disease, which was eradicated in 1994. However, the decline in vaccination rates against poliomyelitis is merely a reflection of the rise of the anti-vaccine movement, and as a result, other diseases are re-emerging worldwide. Objectives: The study aims to demonstrate the decline in vaccination rates and possible re-emergence of currently controlled diseases. Materials and Methods: The research consists of a statistical analysis of quantitative characterization and a literature review. Data on the proposed topic will be discussed, correlating it with the use of the DataSus platform. Results and Discussion: There is a considerable increase in diseases preventable by vaccination, such as meningitis and whooping cough. Additionally, there has been a decline in vaccination coverage across the country since 2020, with the North region highlighted as the area of greatest vulnerability. Conclusion: A warning is issued regarding the national decline in vaccination and the risk of re-emergence of diseases controlled by immunization.