Li-Ying Wang1,2,3,4, Min Qin1, Laurent Gavotte3, Wei-Ping Wu1, Xixi Cheng1, Jia-Xi Lei1, Jun Yan5, Roger Frutos6. 1. Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases Research), Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Institute of Parasitic DiseasesWHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical DiseasesNational Centre for International Research On Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. 2. NHC Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis Prevention and Control, Tibet Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lhasa, China. 3. Espace-Dev, UMR 228, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. 4. Cirad, UMR 17, Intertryp, Campus international de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France. 5. Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China. yanjun@chinacdc.cn. 6. Cirad, UMR 17, Intertryp, Campus international de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France. roger.frutos@cirad.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease that threatens human health and economic development. In China, 370 counties are endemic for echinococcosis. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has the most patients and people at risk. Therefore, analyzing the societal factors related to susceptibility to the disease is critical for efficient prevention and control of echinococcosis. METHODS: The demographic characteristics and lifestyle of echinococcosis cases were clustered using K-means cluster analysis to determine the main factors of risk of echinococcosis. RESULTS: Middle-aged and young people as well as those with a low education level and herdsmen are at risk of contracting echinococcosis. Nomadism, domestic and feral dogs in the surrounding environment, and drinking heavily polluted natural surface water are the main behavioral risk factors. The cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) cluster analysis focused on female, middle-aged, and young people, winter settlement and summer nomadism, and domestic and feral dogs in the surrounding environment. There were significant differences in lifestyle between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau cases and non-Qinghai-Tibet-Plateau cases. CONCLUSION: According to the distribution of cases and CE and AE, this study identified the factors of risk of echinococcosis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and non-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Adapted control techniques appropriate for the various epidemic areas should be established to serve as a reference for echinococcosis prevention.
BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease that threatens human health and economic development. In China, 370 counties are endemic for echinococcosis. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has the most patients and people at risk. Therefore, analyzing the societal factors related to susceptibility to the disease is critical for efficient prevention and control of echinococcosis. METHODS: The demographic characteristics and lifestyle of echinococcosis cases were clustered using K-means cluster analysis to determine the main factors of risk of echinococcosis. RESULTS: Middle-aged and young people as well as those with a low education level and herdsmen are at risk of contracting echinococcosis. Nomadism, domestic and feral dogs in the surrounding environment, and drinking heavily polluted natural surface water are the main behavioral risk factors. The cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) cluster analysis focused on female, middle-aged, and young people, winter settlement and summer nomadism, and domestic and feral dogs in the surrounding environment. There were significant differences in lifestyle between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau cases and non-Qinghai-Tibet-Plateau cases. CONCLUSION: According to the distribution of cases and CE and AE, this study identified the factors of risk of echinococcosis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and non-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Adapted control techniques appropriate for the various epidemic areas should be established to serve as a reference for echinococcosis prevention.