ASPECTOS EPIDEMIOLôGICOS DO PROBLEMA DO LIXO

Abstract

The author studics the main factors which determine the epidemiologic structure of the communities. Garbage is one of these factors, and it can contribute to thc transmission of diseases. He summarizes the diseases whose vehiculation is related to garbage, chiefly those transmited hy houseflies and rats, which are bred or get their food on it. He concludes that garbage has normally a rather secondary epidemiologic importance, which can change according to the circumstances. Nevertheless, its control should be made, chiefly because this is a useful measure in the simultaneous fight against several diseases, always in combination with the measures that are related to the other factors of the epidemiologic structure.