BackgroundMost existing studies have only investigated the delayed effect of meteorological factors on pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, the effect of extreme climate and the interaction between meteorological factors on PTB has been rarely investigated.MethodsNewly diagonsed PTB cases and meteorological factors in Urumqi in each week between 2013 and 2019 were collected. The lag-exposure-response relationship between meteorological factors and PTB was analyzed using the distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). The generalized additive model (GAM) was used to visualize the interaction between meteorological factors. Stratified analysis was used to explore the impact of meteorological factors on PTB in different stratification and RERI, AP and SI were used to quantitatively evaluate the interaction between meteorological factors.ResultsA total of 16,793 newly diagnosed PTB cases were documented in Urumqi, China from 2013 to 2019. The median (interquartile range) temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and PTB cases were measured as 11.3°C (−5.0–20.5), 57.7% (50.7–64.2), 4.1m/s (3.4–4.7), and 47 (37–56), respectively. The effects of temperature, relative humidity and wind speed on PTB were non-linear, which were found with the “N”-shaped, “L”-shaped, “N”-shaped distribution, respectively. With the median meteorological factor as a reference, extreme low temperature was found to have a protective effect on PTB. However, extreme high temperature, extreme high relative humidity, and extreme high wind speed were found to increase the risk of PTB and peaked at 31.8°C, 83.2%, and 7.6 m/s respectively. According to the existing monitoring data, no obvious interaction between meteorological factors was found, but low temperature and low humidity (RR = 1.149, 95%CI: 1.003–1.315), low temperature and low wind speed (RR = 1.273, 95%CI: 1.146–1.415) were more likely to cause the high incidence of PTB.ConclusionTemperature, relative humidity and wind speed were found to play vital roles in PTB incidence with delayed and non-linear effects. Extreme high temperature, extreme high relative humidity, and extreme high wind speed could increase the risk of PTB. Moreover, low temperature and low humidity, low temperature and low wind speed may increase the incidence of PTB.

BackgroundHand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a febrile rash infection caused by enteroviruses, spreading mainly via the respiratory tract and close contact. In the past two decades, HFMD has been prevalent mainly in Asia, including China and South Korea, causing a huge disease burden and putting the lives and health of children at risk. Therefore, a further study of the factors influencing HFMD incidences has far-reaching implications. In existing studies, the environmental factors affecting such incidences are mainly divided into two categories: meteorological and air. Among these studies, the former are the majority of studies on HFMD. Some scholars have studied both factors at the same, but the number is not large and the findings are quite different.MethodsWe collect monthly cases of HFMD in children, meteorological factors and atmospheric pollution in Urumqi from 2014 to 2020. Trend plots are used to understand the approximate trends between meteorological factors, atmospheric pollution and the number of HFMD cases. The association between meteorological factors, atmospheric pollution and the incidence of HFMD in the Urumqi region of northwest China is then investigated using multiple regression models.ResultsA total of 16,168 cases in children are included in this study. According to trend plots, the incidence of HFMD shows a clear seasonal pattern, with O3 (ug/m3) and temperature (°C) showing approximately the same trend as the number of HFMD cases, while AQI, PM2.5 (ug/m3), PM10 (ug/m3) and NO2 (ug/m3) all show approximately opposite trends to the number of HFMD cases. Based on multiple regression results, O3 (P = 0.001) and average station pressure (P = 0.037) are significantly and negatively associated with HFMD incidences, while SO2 (P = 0.102), average dew point temperature (P = 0.072), hail (P = 0.077), and thunder (P = 0.14) have weak significant relationships with them.