During a period of 42 months, we studied the prevalence of epilepsy in a sp
ecific health district, composing by four towns with 98,405 inhabitants old
er than 10 years. This has been accomplished by a two-phase cross-sectional
study. The prevalence rate observed was 4.12/1000 inhabitants for all type
s of epilepsy. No significant differences were found between the sexes. Six
ty-three per cent of affected individuals had partial seizures, with a conf
irmed cause in 45 %. Fifty-five patients with single unprovoked seizures, w
ere also identified but not included in the prevalence rate.