[Mortality trends due to tuberculosis in Brazil, 1980-2004]

To analyze the current profile and trends of tuberculosis mortality in Brazil between 1980 and 2004.

Descriptive study of tuberculosis as underlying or associate cause of death based on secondary data from the Brazilian Mortality Information System.

An irregular reduction in the number of tuberculosis deaths and mortality rates along the study period, from 5.8 in 1980 to 2.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004, was seen. An accelerated reduction in mortality trend was seen until 1985 mostly in the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. There was a trend towards mortality occurring in older ages. In 2004, 4,981 tuberculosis cases were notified as underlying cause of death in Brazil but it would increase by 50% if tuberculosis as associate cause and tuberculosis sequelae as underlying cause of death were added. In 2004, the highest mortality rates were found in the states of Pernambuco (5.4) and Rio de Janeiro (5.0) and in state capitals such as Recife (7.7) and Belém (5.8).

Given the well-known association between tuberculosis and Aids, the impact of AIDS epidemic indirectly reflects on the mortality trends of tuberculosis.