Epidemiological characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease related with meteorological factors in Pudong New Area, Shanghai

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease(HFMD) during 2012—2015, in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, to explore the occurrence regularity of HFMD during the plum rains season, and to find out the relationship between meteorological factors and incidence of HFMD, thus providing scientific basis for developing targeted prevention and control strategies.

MethodsDescriptive epidemiological methods were used for the relationship between characteristics of HFMD and the meteorological factors.

ResultsIn 2012—2015, the cumulative incidence of HFMD was 38 707 in Pudong New Area, annual incidence being 179.21 (1/100 000).There was an obvious peak in the annual incidence, and the incidence was concentrated in scattered children, young children and students.Weekly incidence was strongly related with meteorological factors as average temperature, average air pressure and others.When plum rains season was compared with non-plum rains season, it was found that differences between incidence, temperature, atmospheric pressure and others for HFMD were of statistical significance.

ConclusionFrom 2012 to 2015, the incidence of HFMD in Pudong new area showed an incidence trend of "one high and one low" in adjacent two years.Differences in epidemiological characteristics of HFMD showed statistical significance, between plum rains season and other seasons, which may be caused by different meteorological factors in plum rains season.