Spatio-temporal cluster and distribution of human brucellosis in Shanxi Province of China between 2011 and 2016.

In recent years, the incidence of human brucellosis (HB) in the Shanxi province has ranked to be the top five among the 31 China provinces. HB data in Shanxi province between 2011 and 2016 were collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Spatial and temporal distribution of HB was evaluated using spatial autocorrelation analysis and space-time scan analysis. The global Moran's I index ranged from 0.37 to 0.50 between 2011 and 2016 (all P < 0.05), and the "high-high" clusters of HB were located at the northern Shanxi, while the "low-low" clusters in the central and southeastern Shanxi. The high-incidence time interval was between March and July with a 2-fold higher risk of HB compared to the other months in the same year. One most likely cluster and three secondary clusters were identified. The radius of the most likely cluster region was 158.03 km containing 10,051 HB cases. Compared to the remaining regions, people dwelling in the most likely region were reported 4.50-fold ascended risk of incident HB. HB cases during the high-risk time interval of each year were more likely to be younger, to be males or to be farmers or herdsman than that during the low-risk time interval. The HB incidence had a significantly high correlation with the number of the cattle or sheep especially in the northern Shanxi. HB in Shanxi showed unique spatio-temporal clustering. Public health concern for HB in Shanxi should give priority to the northern region especially between the late spring and early summer.

[Study on the epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Shanxi province].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological characteristics and related factors of SARS in Shanxi in order to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). METHODS: Data on clinically-diagnosed SARS cases reported to Shanxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention through SARS reporting system of Shanxi province and epidemiological reports were collected from early March to 20 May, 2003. The characteristics of SARS distribution in time, place and population in Shanxi were described. The epidemiological characteristics and related influential factors were analyzed with EPI info 6.0 software. RESULTS: Since the first imported SARS case was diagnosed clinically on 7 March and till 20 May in Shanxi province, the number of cumulative clinically-diagnosed SARS cases were 445 with an attack rate of 1.34/10,000. 20 deaths occurred in that period with the mortality rate 4.49%. The number of cases increased from 28 March and formed the first peak. However, the number continued to increase until 18 April to have formed the second peak. Since then, the number of cases has gradually decreased gradually. Since 19 May, there has been no clinically-diagnosed cases being reported. SARS cases were mostly seen in urban areas of the city (83.82% of the total SARS cases) with sporadic cases found in rural areas. Students and medical staff and people from 20 - 59 years of age occupied the large part of the cases. Age specific mortality rate increased with age and the male/female ratio was 1:0.87. CONCLUSION: In Shanxi province, the SARS epidemic seemed to have had the following stages: importation of the first case, gradual increase of the number of cases to reach the peak and decreasing. Case identification at early stage as well as taking measures to decrease the chance of transmission were strategically crucial for controlling the spread of SARS virus in the community.