Incidence and warning signs for complications of human brucellosis: a multi-center observational study from China.

Background: Brucellosis is a severe zoonotic disease that is often overlooked, particularly in impoverished countries. Timely identification of focal complications in brucellosis is crucial for improving treatment outcomes. However, there is currently a lack of established indicators or biomarkers for diagnosing these complications.

Spatial distribution of leptospirosis incidence in the Upper Yangtze and Pearl River Basin, China: Tools to support intervention and elimination.

Background: Since 2011 human leptospirosis incidence in China has remained steadily low with persistent pockets of notifications reported in communities within the Upper Yangtze River Basin (UYRB) and Pearl River Basin (PRB). To help guide health authorities within these residual areas to identify communities where interventions should be targeted, this study quantified the local effect of socioeconomic and environmental factors on the spatial distribution of leptospirosis incidence and developed predictive maps of leptospirosis incidence for UYRB and PRB.

Methods: Data on all human leptospirosis cases reported during 2005-2016 across the UYRB and PRB regions were geolocated at the county-level and included in the analysis.

Climate variability, satellite-derived physical environmental data and human leptospirosis: A retrospective ecological study in China.

Background: In the past three decades, the incidence rate of notified leptospirosis cases in China have steeply declined and are now circumscribed to discrete areas in the country. Previous research showed that climate and environmental variation may play an important role in leptospirosis transmission. However, quantitative associations between climate, environmental factors and leptospirosis in the high-risk areas in China, is still poorly understood.

Geographical and temporal distribution of the residual clusters of human leptospirosis in China, 2005-2016.

Human leptospirosis outbreaks still persistently occur in part of China, indicating that leptospirosis remains an important zoonotic disease in the country. Spatiotemporal pattern of the high-risk leptospirosis cluster and the key characteristics of high-risk areas for leptospirosis across the country are still poorly understood. Using spatial analytical approaches, we analyzed 8,158 human leptospirosis cases notified during 2005-2016 across China to explore the geographical distribution of leptospirosis hotspots and to characterize demographical, ecological and socioeconomic conditions of high-risk counties for leptospirosis in China.

Epidemiological shift and geographical heterogeneity in the burden of leptospirosis in China.

Background: Leptospirosis morbidity and mortality rates in China have decreased since the 2000s. Further analyses of the spatiotemporal and demographic changes occurring in the last decade and its implication on estimates of disease burden are required to inform intervention strategies. In this study, we quantified the epidemiological shift and geographical heterogeneity in the burden of leptospirosis during 2005-2015 in China.

Mapping the distribution of tick-borne encephalitis in mainland China.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has become an increasing public health threat in recent years, ranging from Europe, through far-eastern Russia to Japan and northern China. However, the neglect of its expansion and scarce analyses of the dynamics have made the overall disease burden and the risk distribution of the disease being unclear in mainland China. In this study, we described epidemiological characteristics of 2117 reported human TBE cases from 2006 to 2013 in mainland China.

Genetic source tracking of an anthrax outbreak in Shaanxi province, China.

Background: Anthrax is an acute zoonotic infectious disease caused by the bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis. From 26 July to 8 August 2015, an outbreak with 20 suspected cutaneous anthrax cases was reported in Ganquan County, Shaanxi province in China. The genetic source tracking analysis of the anthrax outbreak was performed by molecular epidemiological methods in this study.

A practical community-based response strategy to interrupt Ebola transmission in sierra Leone, 2014-2015.

Background: The Ebola virus disease spread rapidly in West Africa in 2014, leading to the loss of thousands of lives. Community engagement was one of the key strategies to interrupt Ebola transmission, and practical community level measures needed to be explored in the field and tailored to the specific context of communities.

Methods: First, community-level education on Ebola virus disease (EVD) prevention was launched for the community's social mobilizers in six districts in Sierra Leone beginning in November 2014.

Mapping the Distribution of Anthrax in Mainland China, 2005-2013.

Background: Anthrax, a global re-emerging zoonotic disease in recent years is enzootic in mainland China. Despite its significance to the public health, spatiotemporal distributions of the disease in human and livestock and its potential driving factors remain poorly understood.

Methodology/principal Findings: Using the national surveillance data of human and livestock anthrax from 2005 to 2013, we conducted a retrospective epidemiological study and risk assessment of anthrax in mainland China.

A national assessment of the epidemiology of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, China.

First discovered in rural areas of middle-eastern China in 2009, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis affecting hundreds of cases reported in China each year. Using the national surveillance data from 2010 to 2013, we conducted this retrospective epidemiological study and risk assessment of SFTS in China. We found that the incidence of SFTS and its epidemic areas are continuing to grow, but the case fatality rate (CFR) has steadily decreased.

Spatiotemporal transmission dynamics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in China, 2005-2012.

Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne disease caused by many serotypes of hantaviruses. In China, HFRS has been recognized as a severe public health problem with 90% of the total reported cases in the world. This study describes the spatiotemporal dynamics of HFRS cases in China and identifies the regions, time, and populations at highest risk, which could help the planning and implementation of key preventative measures.

Risk factors for bunyavirus-associated severe Fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, china.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging disease that is caused by a novel bunyavirus, referred to as SFTS virus. During January 2011 to December 2011 we conducted a case-control study in Henan, Hubei and Shandong Provinces of China to determine the risk factors for SFTS.

Methods: Case-patients were identified in hospitals and reported to provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while being notified electronically to the National Surveillance System.

Spatiotemporal patterns of Japanese encephalitis in China, 2002-2010.

Objective: The aim of the study is to examine the spatiotemporal pattern of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in mainland China during 2002-2010. Specific objectives of the study were to quantify the temporal variation in incidence of JE cases, to determine if clustering of JE cases exists, to detect high risk spatiotemporal clusters of JE cases and to provide evidence-based preventive suggestions to relevant stakeholders.

Methods: Monthly JE cases at the county level in mainland China during 2002-2010 were obtained from the China Information System for Diseases Control and Prevention (CISDCP).

[Study on the seasonal distribution of human rabies in different regions of China].

Objective: Using simple quantitative methods to describe the seasonal distribution of rabies in different provinces of China and to analyze how it was influenced by geographical settings, to provide evidence for risk assessment and prediction of potential epidemics of rabies.

Methods: A total number of 17 800 clinical and laboratory confirmed rabies cases, reported by 29 provinces, from 2005 to 2011 and related data were collected from National Disease Reporting Information System. Data on related latitudes and longitudes of different provinces were obtained from the National Geographic Information Center.

[The current epidemic situation and surveillance regarding hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in China, 2010].

Objective: To analyze the surveillance data on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) including the epidemiological characteristics and trend of the disease, in 2010.

Methods: Descriptive methods were conducted to analyze the surveillance data in 2010 which were collected from the internet-based National Notifiable Disease Reporting System and 40 HFRS sentinels in China.

Results: There were 9526 cases of HFRS reported in 2010 in the country with an annual morbidity of 0.

[Epidemiological analysis of rabies in 2010, China].

Objective: To understand the related factors of rabies epidemic and provide the basic data for rabies control and prevention in China by statistic and retrospective analysis of rabies surveillance data in 2010.

Methods: We used descriptive epidemiology method and statistic analysis to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of rabies in 2010 of China.

Results: 2048 rabies cases were rabies cases were reported in 817 counties (districts) in 2010, which dropped 7.

[Epidemiologic analysis on severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Hubei province, 2010].

Objective: To identify the epidemic characteristics and risk factors of an emerging infectious disease-severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Hubei province.

Methods: Active surveillance program on SFTS was set up in monitoring sites-hospitals, at the township level or above, in Suizhou, Huanggang and Wuhan from January to December, 2010. Specific surveillance program on SFTS was launched across the province in hospitals above the county level.

Fever with thrombocytopenia associated with a novel bunyavirus in China.

Background: Heightened surveillance of acute febrile illness in China since 2009 has led to the identification of a severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) with an unknown cause. Infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum has been suggested as a cause, but the pathogen has not been detected in most patients on laboratory testing.

Methods: We obtained blood samples from patients with the case definition of SFTS in six provinces in China.

[Self-management behaviors among children after exposure to rabies in two severe rabies epidemic areas of China].

Objective: To understand the situation of rabies exposure and self-management behaviors among primary school students from rabies epidemic areas in China.

Methods: This population-based investigation was conducted in Guizhou and Guangdong provinces which had been severe epidemic areas of rabies in China from January 2007 to May 2008. Primary schools from two prefectural, two county, four township and four village levels were selected in the 2 provinces.

[Epidemiology and surveillance programs on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Mainland China, 2005 - 2008].

Objective: To analyze the epidemiologic and surveillance data of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in China, from 2005 to 2008, to describe the epidemiology and trend of HFRS.

Methods: Descriptive epidemiology were studied to analyze the surveillance data from 2005 to 2008, collected from both the internet-based national notifiable disease reporting system and 40 HFRS sentinel sites developed since 2005 in 40 counties around China.

Results: A total of 56 077 HFRS cases and 692 deaths reported in China with case fatality rate as 1.

[Current situation and surveillance on dengue fever in China, 2005 - 2007].

Objective: To provide scientific evidence for prevention and control program on dengue fever through analyzing the situation of dengue fever in China, from 2005 to 2007.

Methods: Data was collected from Internet-based National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting System, National Enhanced Dengue Fever Surveillance System and field investigation on dengue outbreaks, described and analyzed with descriptively and by SPSS statistical software.

Results: There was a total number of 1623 dengue cases (including 1356 laboratory confirmed cases and 267 probable cases) and 1 death case reported in China from 2005 to 2007.

[Effectiveness of personal protective measures in prevention of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of personal protective measures of health care workers (HCWs) against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Methods: A case-control study from ten hospitals in Guangdong, with 180 non-infected and 77 infected staff members that accessed the isolation unit every day, and participated in direct first aid for severe SARS patients. All participants were surveyed about how they were using personal protective equipment (PPE), protective drugs and hygiene habits when caring for patients with SARS.

[An investigation on nosocomial infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome in health-care workers at 13 key hospitals in Guangdong Province].

Objective: To analysis the risk factors influencing nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in health-care workers and to evaluate effectiveness of its control and preventive measures in 13 key hospitals caring for SARS patients.

Methods: Number of SARS patients, clinical conditions of them, its attack rate in health-care workers, and characteristics of hospitals, including their environment, isolating measures, etc. were investigated at the 13 hospital in Guangzhou to analyze the risk factors influencing nosocomial infection of SARS and its attack rates in health-care workers before and after implementation of preventive measures and to evaluate their effectiveness.