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

Abstract

Background Natural 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. Methods Data 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). Results The 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. Conclusions TB 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.

Related Factors Associated With Earthquake Inpatient Mortality

“…2,21 The incidence of respiratory disease may be affected by air pollution caused by landslide disaster and waste dust. 25 Furthermore, the lack of medical personnel and equipment in the earthquake-stricken areas also led to an increase in mortality from these causes. As such, we suggest that hospitals in earthquake-prone areas should develop response plans based on realistic approaches to the problems (and limitations) they are likely to face regarding patients with cardiac and/or respiratory disease in earthquake scenarios.…”

The epidemiological trends of 45 national notifiable infectious diseases in China: An analysis of national surveillance data from 2013 to 2022

“…From the point of view of transmission, intestinal, respiratory, and sexual, blood and mother-to-child transmission of diseases are still the "main force", of which the epidemic of intestinal infectious diseases is particularly serious. Intestinal infectious diseases are mainly caused by improper hygiene habits such as eating, drinking, etc [55]. The prevalence of COVID-19 has a certain impact on the incidence of gastrointestinal infectious diseases, and some studies have shown that the number of rotavirus and adenovirus-positive patients and the positive detection rate in 2020 will be signi cantly reduced compared with that in 2019 [56].…”