Satscan based small scale spatiotemporal trend analysis of human schistosomiasis in Gong'an County and Jiangling County, Hubei Province / 公共卫生与预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the spatial clustering of human schistosomiasis at the village level in key counties in Hubei Province, to provide scientific evidence for formulating strategies for human schistosomiasis prevention and control in the next stage. Methods Gong'an County and Jiangling County in Hubei Province were selected as representative counties for this study. A town or village was set up as a research unit. Schistosomiasis cases of a positive fecal examination in 2015 and cases with positive detection for schistosomiasis serological antibody titer equal or above 80 in 2016-2018 were selected as research subjects in these two counties. The Kulldorff circular scan statistic was used for the spatial clustering analysis of human schistosomiasis infection status in the population. Results There was spatial clustering of positive schistosomiasis cases of fecal examination, at the level of a town or village in both counties in 2015. There was spatial clustering of positive human serological antibody detection at the level of town or village from 2016-2018. Eighty-six endemic villages in five towns in the northeast of Gong'an County, along the Yangtze river,including Mahaokou Town, Zhakou Town, Yangjiachang Town, Jiazhuyuan Town and Douhuti Town, were the most prominent. There was no spatial clustering of positive results of human serological antibody detection at the town and village level in Jiangling County, in2017, while there was spatial clustering of human serological antibody detection in 2016 and 2018,respectively. Fifty-seven endemic villages in two towns (Puji Town and Xionghe Town) in the southwest of Jiangling County, along the Yangtze river,were the most prominent. Conclusion There were spatial clustering of human schistosomiasis epidemic at village level both in Gong'an County and Jiangling County, Hubei Province. Compared with the previous studies, there was a trend of shrink and decline of clustering areas. Therefore, the current situation of the epidemic has put forward higher requirements for the implementation of precise prevention and control in the progress of schistosomiasis elimination work in various epidemic areas.