Study On The Epidemiological Characteristics Of Hand-foot-and-mouth Disease In A County Of Anhui Province From 2008 To 2014

Objectives To understand the epidemiological characteristics and pathogenic components of hand-foot-mouth disease in Suixi County, Anhui Province; and analyze its epidemic regularitiesto provide scientific basis for making preventive strategies and control measures of the disease.Methods In the study, the epidemic data and diagnostic report on hand-foot-mouth disease in Suixi County from the year 2008 to 2014 were collected. The diagnostic criteria were adopted according to "Guide for prevention and control of hand-foot-and-mouth disease "(2009 edition and 2010 edition) promulgated by Ministry of health. Etiological diagnosis derived from the detection of enteric viral nucleic acid which was centralized by RT-PCR technology in the Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. On the basis of sorting the data, Excel software 2003 was used to build database and software SPSS 16.0 was used to analyze the data. Then the epidemiological characteristics and pathogenic components of hand-foot-mouth disease in the County were described,such as its general situation and level of disease and thus relative analysis was produced.Results 9471 cases of the disease were reported in the County from 2008-2014, and the annual incidence rate was 125.26 per 100 thousand; among which severe rate of 30 severe cases being 0.32%. No death occurred and there was an upward trend in its outbreak yearly. Children aged 5 and under were the prevalent population, accounting for 97.39%of the patients, among them the highest incidence happened between the age 1 and 2. It was showed that the incidence of male is higher than that of female, and the gender ratio is 1.85:1. Scattered children and nursery children were the major group, accounting for 98.05%of all the cases.The research showed obviously that the incidence changed seasonally,3-6month being the epidemic peak and 4-5 month reaching the highest, with secondary peak appearing in certain years. As for regional distribution, the whole county was covered but it was relatively concentrated in rural areas and rural-urban fringe zones. It was revealed by the pathogen detection that EV71,CoxA16 and other enteric viruses were the major pathogenic factors.Conclusions Based on the study, Suixi County is the high-risk area of the hand-foot-mouth disease and its epidemic situation of prevention and control still faces challenges. Its epidemiological characteristics vary in season, regional distribution and patient group. Annual alternating season between spring and summer is the key period of prevention and control of the disease. Scattered children aged 3 and under 3 are the major group of prevetion and control. Rural areas and rural-urban fringe zones are the key control area. The key control strategy of hand-foot-mouth disease lies in that surveillance on the key crowd should be strengthened and targeted health education should be carried out to effectively reduce the incidence of the disease.