1. Epidemiologic Changes of Scrub Typhus in China, 1952-2016.
- Author
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Zhongjie Li, Hualei Xin, Junling Sun, Shengjie Lai, Lingjia Zeng, Canjun Zheng, Ray, Sarah E., Weaver, Nicole Davis, Liping Wang, Jianxing Yu, Zijian Feng, Hay, Simon I., Gao, George F., Li, Zhongjie, Xin, Hualei, Sun, Junling, Lai, Shengjie, Zeng, Lingjia, Zheng, Canjun, and Wang, Liping
- Subjects
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TSUTSUGAMUSHI disease , *HAZARDOUS occupations , *RICKETTSIAL diseases , *DEATH certificates , *CITIES & towns , *GRAM-negative bacteria , *DISEASE incidence , *SEASONS , *GRAM-negative bacterial diseases - Abstract
Scrub typhus, a miteborne rickettsiosis, has emerged in many areas globally. We analyzed the incidence and spatial-temporal distribution of scrub typhus in China during 1952-1989 and 2006-2016 using national disease surveillance data. A total of 133,623 cases and 174 deaths were recorded. The average annual incidence was 0.13 cases/100,000 population during 1952-1989; incidence increased sharply from 0.09/100,000 population in 2006 to 1.60/100,000 population in 2016. The disease, historically endemic to southern China, has expanded to all the provinces across both rural and urban areas. We identified 3 distinct seasonal patterns nationwide; infections peaked in summer in the southwest, summer-autumn in the southeast, and autumn in the middle-east. Persons >40 years of age and in nonfarming occupations had a higher risk for death. The changing epidemiology of scrub typhus in China warrants an enhanced disease control and prevention program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
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