Infant mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases in Brazil: an analysis of deaths between 2010 and 2023

Abstract

Introduction: The National Immunization Program has established itself as one of the most relevant public health interventions, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of cases and deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases over the decades. However, paradoxically, new challenges have emerged due to declining vaccination coverage and the potential reemergence of controlled diseases. Objectives: To evaluate, based on aggregated data, infant deaths from vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in Brazil between 2010 and 2023. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and retrospective study. Data on infant deaths (0 to 4 years old) were collected from the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), which is available through the Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). The variables analyzed were the associated pathology (ICD-10) and the region of notification. Results: A total of 657 deaths from vaccine preventable diseases were reported during the period. Whooping cough (ICD-10: A37) was the main cause, accounting for 68% of the total. The highest numbers of deaths from whooping cough occurred in 2014, 2012, and 2013. Varicella (ICD-10: B01) was a frequent cause of death, with 580 cases recorded in the analyzed period, most of them occurring before the introduction of the vaccine. Conclusion: Whooping cough was the vaccine-preventable infection responsible for the highest number of infant deaths in Brazil during the analyzed period. The data reinforce the fundamental importance of infant vaccination and epidemiological surveillance strategies.