Abstract:
Objective To analyze the retrospective seasonality and relativity of malaria incidence in Yangtze River Delta of China from 1980 to 2022, and provide scientific evidence and reference to maintain the achievement of malaria elimination.
Methods The annual and monthly incidence data of malaria in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Anhui provinces (municipality) were collected. The time-trend was analyzed by Joinpoint 5.02, and the data were processed with Excel 2019 for the calculations of concentration ratio(M), average angle and incidence pesk day. Rayleigh test was conducted with criticality value table. Watson-Williams test and relativity analysis were conducted with software DPS 19.05 to understand the seasonality and relativity of malaria in Yangtze River Delta.
Results The annual case count and incidence of malaria declined with fluctuation in Yangtze River Delta from 1980 to 2022. The proportion of annual malaria case count in Yangtze River Delta in national total was highly fluctuant. The differences in annual incidence decline of malaria were significant among the four provinces(municipality) (P<0.05), but the time-points were different. There were relativities in annual and monthly case count and incidence of malaria among different area(P<0.05). There were declining trend in M values before 2020. The M values were fluctuant. Before the elimination of indigenous malaria, there were seasonal concentration trend of malaria incidence in Yangtze River Delta and the peak days were between June 12th and September 23rd. After the elimination of indigenous malaria, the seasonality of malaria were not obvious except the period from 2020 to 2022. There were statistical significances in different area from 1980 to 2022 indicated by Watson-Williams test (P<0.001).
Conclusion There were significant changes in the seasonality of malaria incidence in Yangtze River Delta during different periods. The risk of re-transmission by imported malaria still exists after the elimination of indigenous malaria. It is necessary to take comprehensive and integrated measures to prevent and control malaria epidemic.