PADRÕES ESPACIAIS DA OCORRÊNCIA DE LEISHMANIOSE VISCERAL HUMANA NA CIDADE DE NATAL-RN: A INFLUÊNCIA DAS ÁREAS DE RISCO SOCIAL.

The objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence of cases of human visceral leishmaniasis (LVH) and its proximity to the areas of social risk in the municipality of Natal- RN. We analyzed 285 confirmed cases of LVH recorded in SINAN in the period from 2008 to 2018. Kernel analysis was used to overlap the cases and the areas of social risk. The average annual distance from each point to the nearest risk area was calculated. Kernel density revealed that the occurrence of cases is more prevalent in peripheral areas, mainly in areas located in the north and west, and overlapping the areas of social risk. The average distance between the cases and the closest risk area was 445 meters. There was a reduction in the mean distance between the cases and the areas of social risk each year, in the period of 2008 and 2013, and an increase in the period from 2014 to 2018. The shortest average distance was recorded in 2012 (227 meters) and the highest was in 2017 (677 meters). Spatial modeling showed that the dynamics of the occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of Natal-RN is related to the proximity of the areas of social risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]