Epidemiology of hand foot and mouth disease in Yichang, 2009

Objective To explore the epidemiological characteristics of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Yichang. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the incidence data of HFMD in 2009 obtained from national disease reporting information system and laboratory detection was performed. Results Two incidence peaks of HFMD were found in the April and November. The disease distributed widely with cases reporting in every county (city, district). Most cases were sporadic ones, and clusters were found in some areas. The incidence rate in males was higher than in females. Most cases were the children aged 1 to 5 years. The differences on the case proportion in different age group were statistically significant. Conclusion The incidence of HFMD had significant seasonal, regional, sex-specific and age-specific differences. The key places for the prevention and control of HFMD included child care setting, and the epidemiological and etiological studies would facilitate the development of improved prevention and control measures.