Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by Schistosoma mansoni, strongly associated with lack of basic sanitation and with relevant impact on public health in Brazil. Although the country has control and surveillance programs, hospitalizations still occur frequently, reflecting failures in early diagnosis and access to treatment. This study aimed to describe the profile of schistosomiasis hospitalizations in Brazil by geographic regions and federative units between 2013 and 2023. Descriptive ecological study based on secondary data obtained from the SUS Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), accessed through DATASUS TABNET. Hospitalizations for schistosomiasis in Brazil from 2013 to 2023 were analyzed, considering absolute number of hospitalizations per year, geographic region, and state. Data were organized in Google Sheets and analyzed descriptively. A total of 1,847 schistosomiasis hospitalizations were recorded in Brazil between 2013 and 2023. The Northeast region accounted for the highest number, with 881 hospitalizations (47.7%), followed by the Southeast with 816 (44.2%). These numbers indicate persistence of historical endemicity and point to gaps in active surveillance and early diagnosis, contributing to underreporting, worsening of cases, and increased hospitalizations. The North, Central-West, and South regions had much lower numbers, with 67, 51, and 32 hospitalizations, respectively. However, reasons for these differences vary: while in the South they likely reflect better sanitation and disease control, in the North and Central-West the data may be underestimated due to underreporting and limited access to diagnosis and treatment. This heterogeneous distribution highlights the impact of inequalities in access to sanitation and health services, sustaining conditions that facilitate schistosomiasis transmission. Persistent schistosomiasis hospitalizations indicate the need to strengthen regional public policies focused on prevention, sanitation, and access to treatment to reduce hospitalizations, as the disease remains an important public health challenge in Brazil.
David et al. (Sun,) studied this question.