Epidemiological analysis of respiratory and intestinal infectious diseases in three counties of Sichuan: the baseline survey of Disaster Mitigation Demonstration Area in western China.

Mengzi Sun,Lina Jin,Pingping Zheng,Yaogai Lv,Jiagen Li,Kexin Li,Jing Dou,Li Shen,Yan Yao,Jinghuan Ren,Chunli Bi,Zhiqiang Xue,Anning Zhang,Tianyu Feng,Pan Pan,Zhenbo Yang,Zhe Wang,Yang Chen,Hui Sun

doi:10.7717/peerj.7341

Abstract

BackgroundNatural disasters can indirectly induce epidemics of infectious diseases through air and water pollution, accelerated pathogen reproduction, and population migration. This study aimed to explore the epidemiological characteristics of the main infectious diseases in Sichuan, a province with a high frequency of natural disasters.MethodsData were collected from the local Centers for Disease Control infectious disease reports from Lu, Shifang and Yuexi counties from 2011 to 2015 and from the baseline survey of the Disaster Mitigation Demonstration Area in Western China in 2016. Principal component regression was used to explore the main influencing factors of respiratory infectious diseases (RIDs).ResultsThe incidence rates of RIDs and intestinal infectious diseases (IIDs) in 2015 were 78.99/100,000, 125.53/100,000, 190.32/100,000 and 51.70/100,000, 206.00/100,000, 69.16/100,000 in Lu, Shifang and Yuexi respectively. The incidence rates of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was the highest among RIDs in the three counties. The main IIDs in Lu and Shifang were hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) and other infectious diarrhea; however, the main IIDs in Yuexi was bacillary dysentery. The proportions of illiterate and ethnic minorities and per capita disposable income were the top three influencing factors of RIDs.ConclusionsTB was the key point of RIDs prevention among the three counties. The key preventable IIDs in Lu and Shifang were HFMD and other infectious diarrhea, and bacillary dysentery was the major IIDs in Yuexi. The incidence rates of RIDs was associated with the population composition, the economy and personal hygiene habits.

Highlights

Outbreaks of infectious diseases usually occur after extreme weather and natural disaster events (McMichael, 2015a; McMichael, 2015b)
Part 1: Data were derived from the baseline survey of the Disaster Mitigation Demonstration Area in Western China in 2016, which was completed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC)
hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) and other infectious diarrhea were the major infectious diseases (IIDs) in Lu and Shifang; bacillary dysentery was the major IIDs in Yuexi

Summary

Introduction

Outbreaks of infectious diseases usually occur after extreme weather and natural disaster events (McMichael, 2015a; McMichael, 2015b). These outbreaks may be due to large-scale population displacement and the increase in risk factors for disease transmission, such as lack of food, safe water, and sanitary toilets; poor personal hygiene and nutritional status, and unplanned and overcrowded sanctuaries (Ivers & Ryan, 2006; Kouadio et al, 2014). The key preventable IIDs in Lu and Shifang were HFMD and other infectious diarrhea, and bacillary dysentery was the major IIDs in Yuexi. The incidence rates of RIDs was associated with the population composition, the economy and personal hygiene habits

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion