Tuberculosis cases with post-mortem notification in Brazil, 2014: a descriptive study based on surveillance data.

Objective: To characterize tuberculosis cases notified at post-mortem in Brazil in 2014.

Methods: This is a descriptive study of tuberculosis cases notified at post-mortem. Data resulted from linkage of the Notifiable Health Conditions Information System-TB (SINAN-TB) and the Mortality Information System (SIM), and were described according to underlying cause of death: tuberculosis, AIDS and other.

Results: In the 2,703 tuberculosis cases notified at post-mortem, a higher proportion was found of people of the male sex (73.5%), aged over 39 (80.8%), <8 years of schooling (66.5%), of Black and brown race/skin color (62.8%), with the pulmonary clinical form of tuberculosis (75.2%); there was also a higher proportion of cases notified by the public health service (57.6%) and in municipalities with HDI-M >0.7 (66.6%).

Conclusion: The characteristics described of people with post-mortem notification and the magnitude of this outcome suggest weaknesses in tuberculosis care and surveillance services.