Analysis on epidemics of infectious diarrhea in Guangxi, 2002-2007

ObjectiveTo understand the epidemiological characteristics and their dynamic pattern of infectious diarrhea in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. MethodsStatistical analysis based on descriptive epidemiology was carried out. Statistical report, disposal record, and experimental data of the epidemics of infectious diarrhea in Guangxi from 2002 to 2007 were sorted and studied. ResultsA total of 154 743 cases of infectious diarrhea were reported in Guangxi from 2002 to 2007, with the annual average incidence rate of 52.89/lakh. Among the patients, there were 149 814 sporadic cases, accounting for 96.81% of all the cases. The incidence peaked every winter, with obvious increasing tendency from September to December. A total of 20 515 cases were reported in Decembers during the 6 years, with average monthly incidence rate of 7.01/lakh. More than half of all the cases were home-cared children (96 951 cases in 6 years), accounting for 62.65% of all the cases. A total of 72 cases died before they were 2 years old, accounting for 84.71% of all the patients. Fourteen outbreaks (1073 cases), 18 outbreaks (938 cases), and 24 outbreaks (1492 cases) and 20 outbreaks (1065 cases) occurred from 2004 to 2007, each year respectively. More outbreaks (20 outbreaks) occurred in September than in other months. As for the location of epidemics, schools accounted for 37 epidemics (48.68% of all), and villages accounted for 32 epidemics (42.10%). Among the epidemics in schools, 27 events (72.97%) occurred at schools located in the linkage part of rural and urban areas, or rural areas. About 60% of the school epidemics were associated with the pollution of drinking water. The pathogen of the epidemics studied were detected to be Enteropathogenic IEscherichia coli, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella Dublin, Bacterium vulgaris,/I Norwalk virus, and rotavirus. ConclusionThe incidence rate of infectious diarrhea is at a high level and still rising, with some new characteristics of the epidemics. The causal factors of outbreaks still exist, which calls for better and more powerful preventive and therapeutic strategy.