Usefulness of minimally invasive autopsy in the diagnosis of arboviruses to increase the sensitivity of the Epidemiological Surveillance System in Ceará, Brazil

• Main Authors: Livia Mendes de Almeida (Author), Deborah Nunes de Melo (Author), Manuella Mendonça da Silva (Author), Pedro Mansueto Melo de Souza (Author), Fernanda Kézia de Sousa Silva (Author), Tania Mara Silva Coelho (Author), Shirlene Telmos Silva de Lima (Author), Anacelia Gomes de Matos Mota (Author), Renata Aparecida de Almeida Monteiro (Author), Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva (Author), Geraldo Gileno de Sá Oliveira (Author), Luciano Pamplona de Góes Cavalcanti (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Ministério da Saúde do Brasil, 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2237-9622; 10.1590/s2237-96222024v33e2024008.en
• Keywords: Arbovirus Infections; Autopsy; Epidemiologic Surveillance Services; Investigative Techniques; Medicine; R; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Epidemiologia e Serviços de Saúde, Vol 33 (2024)

Abstract Objective: To create a protocol for performing minimally invasive autopsies (MIA) in detecting deaths from arboviruses and report preliminary data from its application in Ceará state, Brazil. Methods: Training was provided to medical pathologists on MIA. Results: A protocol was established for performing MIA, defining criteria for sample collection, storage methods, and diagnoses to be carried out according to the type of biological sample; 43 MIAs were performed in three months. Of these, 21 (48.8%) arrived at the Death Verification Service (SVO) with arboviruses as a diagnostic hypothesis, and seven (16.3%) were confirmed (six chikungunya cases and one dengue case); cases of COVID-19 (n = 9), tuberculosis (n = 5), meningitis (n = 4), cryptococcosis (n = 1), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (n = 1), breast cancer (n = 1), and human rabies (n = 1) were also confirmed. Conclusion: The protocol implemented enabled identification of a larger number of suspected arbovirus-related deaths, as well as confirmation of other diseases of interest for surveillance.