Spotted fever is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia, with high lethality and a wide clinical spectrum. In Santa Catarina (SC), the state with the second highest number of cases in the country, the predominant form is caused by Rickettsia parkeri, associated with less severe clinical presentations. Due to the scarcity of regional studies, this study analyzes the distribution of spotted fever cases in SC between 2013 and 2023. Descriptive study using secondary data from the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação. Variables analyzed were: number of confirmed cases by sex, education level, age group, and month of symptom onset. Incidence rates per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated using Excel software. Spatial distribution of incidence by municipality was represented through a thematic map on the Datawrapper platform. During the period, 444 cases were reported, with a cumulative incidence of 6.24 per 100,000 inhabitants. Men accounted for 59.5% of cases, with a rate of 3.7/100,000, while women accounted for 40.5% (2.7/100,000). Absolute risk was higher among men (7) than among women (4.6), yielding a 52% higher relative risk for males. A concentration of cases was observed in the 20–59 age group (73.4%) and among individuals with up to completed high school (92.3%). Monthly distribution indicated seasonality, with the highest number of notifications in January (18.4%) and November (17.5%). Spatial analysis revealed heterogeneity in territorial distribution, highlighting municipalities such as Guaramirim, Schroeder, Corupá, and Jaraguá do Sul, which showed incidence greater than 0.75 per thousand inhabitants. Spotted fever in SC predominates among adult men of working age, suggesting greater exposure to risk environments. The association with lower education level highlights the importance of health education actions focused on prevention and early recognition of symptoms. The seasonality identified in November and January coincides with greater tick activity and climatic conditions favorable to human exposure. Spatial findings reinforce the need for surveillance and awareness strategies, especially targeted to the macro-regions of Vale do Itajaí, Planalto Norte, and Litoral Norte, where municipalities with higher incidence are concentrated.
Souza et al. (Sun,) studied this question.