Homeopathy and dengue: Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2007-2012

Resumo

The first documented dengue epidemic took place in Brazil in 1981-1982; from that time onwards dengue became endemic, with periodic epidemic outbreaks associated with the introduction of new serotypes. In Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, epidemic outbreaks occurred in 2002, 2007 and 2010. The Municipal Health Secretary consequently established an ongoing multi-sector policy for control of dengue, which began to include homeopathy starting 2007. The present article analyzes the results of prophylactic application of homeopathic medicines and the criteria to choose them from 2007 to 2012. Homeopathy was easily implemented, with low cost and was massively accepted by the local population.