Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Their Influencing Factors in Urumqi, China

Yibo Gao,Suyan Yi,Bo Tan,Hongwei Wang,Chen Ma,Yiming Wei,Deping Wang

doi:10.3390/ijerph18094919

Abstract

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) remains a serious health threat to young children. Urumqi is one of the most severely affected cities in northwestern China. This study aims to identify the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of HFMD, and explore the relationships between driving factors and HFMD in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Methods: HFMD surveillance data from 2014 to 2018 were obtained from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The center of gravity and geographical detector model were used to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of HFMD and identify the association between these characteristics and socioeconomic and meteorological factors. Results: A total of 10,725 HFMD cases were reported in Urumqi during the study period. Spatially, the morbidity number of HFMD differed regionally and the density was higher in urban districts than in rural districts. Overall, the development of HFMD in Urumqi expanded toward the southeast. Temporally, we observed that the risk of HFMD peaked from June to July. Furthermore, socioeconomic and meteorological factors, including population density, road density, GDP, temperature and precipitation were significantly associated with the occurrence of HFMD. Conclusions: HFMD cases occurred in spatiotemporal clusters. Our findings showed strong associations between HFMD and socioeconomic and meteorological factors. We comprehensively considered the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and influencing factors of HFMD, and proposed some intervention strategies that may assist in predicting the morbidity number of HFMD.

Highlights

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has resulted in major outbreaks worldwide in the past three decades, and has become a serious public health issue in affected countries [1,2]
Through the geographical detector model, we found that socioeconomic and meteorological factors, including the population density, road density, gross domestic product (GDP), temperature and precipitation were all significantly associated with the occurrence of HFMD
Our study demonstrates that the morbidity number of HFMD has regional differences in that the density is higher in urban districts than in rural districts

Summary

Introduction

Foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has resulted in major outbreaks worldwide in the past three decades, and has become a serious public health issue in affected countries [1,2]. The main pathogens of HFMD are Coxsackie virus A16 (CA16) and Enterovirus. HFMD is commonly seen in children between the ages of 0 and 15, especially children under five years of age [4]. Outbreaks of HFMD have remained common in most of the provinces of China and have threatened the health of young children [6]. It is essential to identify the driving factors of HFMD and establish an early warning system to reduce the disease burden [7]

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Discussion

Conclusion