CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES ›› 2023, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (2): 149-155.doi: 10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2023.02.004

• ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in China in 2021

ZHOU Zhengbin1(), PAN Gaiqin2, LI Yuanyuan1, LIU Qin1, YANG Limin1, LI Zhongqiu1, MA Zhitao1, ZHANG Yi1,3,*(), LI Shizhu1,3   

  1. 1 National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai 200025, China
    2 Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng 252000, Shandong, China
    3 School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
  • Received:2023-02-15 Revised:2023-03-28 Online:2023-04-24 Published:2023-04-24
  • Contact: ZHANG Yi E-mail:zhouzb@nipd.chinacdc.cn;zhangyi@nipd.chinacdc.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program(2021YFC2300800);National Key Research and Development Program(2021YFC2300804);Shanghai Sailing Program(21YF1452200)

Abstract: Objective To analyze the epidemic situation of visceral leishmaniasis in China in 2021 and to provide the scientific basis for formulating the prevention and control strategies. Methods Data on visceral leishmaniasis in 2021 was collected from the web-based National Diseases Reporting Information System. After excluding suspected cases, duplicates and cutaneous leishmaniasis cases, a database was established, based on which the distribution of visceral leishmaniasis was analyzed using descriptive epidemiological method with Microsoft Excel version 2016. Results A total of 230 cases of visceral leishmaniasis were reported in 14 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in 2021, among them 180 cases were reported from mountain-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas, 4 cases from desert-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas, 1 case from anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas, and 45 cases were imported from non-endemic areas. These cases were mainly distributed in Shanxi (127 cases), Shaanxi (35 cases) and Gansu (20 cases), the total reported accounting for 79.1%(182/230) of the overall total in China. A total of 185 local transmitted cases were reported from 44 endemic counties; other 37 counties were of non-endemic areas, reporting 45 imported cases. The Pingding County, outer suburbs of Yangquan City, mining district of Yangquan City, Hancheng City, and Xiangfen County were the major endemic counties, with 33, 29, 18, 11 and 10 cases reported, respectively, the total accounting for 43.9% (101/230) of the overall total cases in China. In 2021, recurrence endemic counties of visceral leishmaniasis were mainly concentrated in Gansu Province (Qinzhou District, Xihe County), Shanxi Province (Yaodu District, Heshun County, Lingchuan County, Qin County, Tunliu District, Xiyang County) and Henan Province (Xin’an County, Xinmi City), with a total of 10 local cases reported. Yumen City in Gansu Province was the newly emerging endemic county with 1 local case reported. The peak incidence occurred in April. The ratio of male to female cases was 1:0.4. The number of reported cases in peasants and infants accounted for 47.4% (109/230) and 24.8% (57/230) of the total cases, respectively. The reported cases at age of ≥ 15 accounted for 73.5% (169/230). Conclusion Visceral leishmaniasis presents a low prevalence in China, whereas, the range of endemic area is gradually expanding. Thus, surveillance and control activities should be strengthened.

Key words: Visceral leishmaniasis, Epidemic status, Distribution, China

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