Spatial-temporal distribution and influencing factors analysis of human Echinococcosis in mainland China from 2004 to 2020

Abstract

Echinococcosis is a chronic parasitic disease with an uneven distribution that poses a significant threat to human health and impedes economic development. As China is one of the major endemic countries, it is crucial to elucidate the spatiotemporal distribution and primary influencing factors of this disease for effective prevention and control, particularly for long-term research. This study utilizes data on human echinococcosis in mainland China from 2004 to 2020, integrating socio-economic, biological, meteorological, and other indicators. Employing methods such as epidemiological analysis, inverse distance weighting (IDW), cluster analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis, we analyzed high-incidence areas and significant related factors to identify high-risk regions and elucidate local epidemiological characteristics. The findings indicate that human echinococcosis in China is predominantly concentrated in the northwest region but exhibits a trend of spreading southeastward. The disease primarily affects young and middle-aged individuals aged 25 to 45, with reported cases among infants and adolescents accounting for as high as 9.4 %. Although the disease lacks obvious seasonality, it is significantly correlated with factors such as the number of sheep, illiteracy rate, temperature, precipitation, humidity, and the level of urbanization. To effectively reduce the spread of this disease, it is imperative to strengthen interdepartmental cooperation, enhance public health awareness, and continuously implement targeted prevention and control measures.