[Epidemiological and clinical features of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province from 2011 to 2022]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province, so as to provide the evidence for analyzing the causes and formulating targeted control measures of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases.

METHODS

Individual case investigation forms for advanced schistosomiasis cases were collected from the Sichuan Provincial Epidemic Annual Report System from 2011 to 2022, and patients' demographics, previous medical history and liver parenchymal grading were retrieved. All advanced schistosomiasis cases' medical records were reviewed, and the subtypes of schistosomiasis-endemic villages where the cases' household registration were, floating population, survival and death and time of death were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 321 newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases were found in Sichuan Province from 2011 to 2022, with a male to female ratio of 0.99 to 1. There were 274 cases at ages of over 50 years (85.4%), with the highest proportion seen at ages of 60 to 69 years (87 cases, 27.1%), and splenomegaly was the most common type (180 cases, 56.1%), with no dwarfism type detected. The highest number of cases was reported in 2011 (78 cases), followed by in 2022 (74 cases), and the highest number of cases were reported in Meishan City (199 cases, 62.0%), Dongpo District (131 cases, 40.8%), and hilly subtype areas (136 cases, 42.4%). As of the end of 2022, there were 111 deaths due to advanced schistosomiasis, with the highest number of deaths seen in 2018 (25 deaths), and the highest mortality was seen among patients with the ascites type (41.2%). There were 47 (37.3%), 40 (59.5%) and 4 (23.5%) cases with grade III liver parenchyma among patients with splenomegaly, ascites, and colonic proliferation types, respectively, and there was a significant difference in the grading of III liver parenchyma among three types of patients (H = 12.092, P < 0.05), with more severe liver parenchyma injuries seen among patients with the ascites type than among those with splenomegaly and colonic proliferation type (Z = 24.262 and 44.738, both Padjusted values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There have been newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province during recent years, and patients with the ascites type should be given a high priority among advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province. Intensified clue surveys are needed for early identification and treatment of advanced schistosomiasis cases, so as to increase the survival rate and improve the quality of life.

[Characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Henan province, 2010-2018]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Henan province during 2010-2018, and to provide theoretical evidence for strategies on prevention and control. Methods: Information about newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Henan between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018 were collected from the National Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Information System. Excel 2010 and software SPSS 23.0 were used for data cleaning and statistical analysis. Results: During 2010-2018, a total of 41 223 HIV/AIDS cases were newly reported in Henan, and the number of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases increased from 3 087 in 2010 to 5 910 in 2018. Sexual contact was the predominant transmission route in newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, and the proportion of sexual transmission increased from 50.6% (1 564/3 087) in 2010 to 98.8% (5 839/5 910) in 2018. The proportion of heterosexual transmission firstly increased from 44.9% (1 387/3 087) in 2010 and then declined to 65.7% (3 885/5 910) in 2018, and the proportion of MSM behavior related transmission increased from 5.7% (177/3 087) in 2010 to 33.1% (1 954/5 910) in 2018. Among the newly reported heterosexual transmitted cases, the proportion of cases with non-marital heterosexual behaviors increased from 69.4% (962/1 387) in 2010 to 91.7% (3 562/3 885) in 2018 (χ(2)=657.802, P<0.001). The number of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in young people aged 15-24 years and old people aged ≥60 years increased year by year. The youth cases were mainly infected by MSM behavior transmission (52.7%, 2 561/4 856), and heterosexual transmission was the main infection route of the elder cases (86.4%, 5 907/6 833). Among the elder cases infected by heterosexual transmission, cases with non-marital heterosexual behaviors were mainly males, the number of male cases increased from 122 in 2010 to 738 in 2018, and sex composition ratio was between 82.2% and 91.0%, while the sex composition ratio of female cases was increased from 9.0% (12/134) in 2010 to 17.8% (160/898) in 2018. Conclusions: From 2010 to 2018, the number of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Henan increased. Sexual transmission had become the main transmission route. AIDS prevention and control should focus on the control of non-marital heterosexual transmission and MSM behavior transmission, and to pay more attention to young people and people aged 60 years and above.