Epidemiological Characteristics Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis And Its Relationships With The Meteorological Factors In Kunshan City

Aims: The aims of the present study are to investigate the distributioncharacteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Kunshan between2004and2013,and set up an epidemiological climate model for PTB transmission by exploring themain meteorological factors that affected PTB in Kunshan city.Methods:(1) Data of PTB cases were collected from Tuberculosis InformationManagement System and the relevant reports during2004-2013in Kunshan.Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the characteristics of PTBduring10years. Meteorological data including temperature, air pressure, relativehumidity, total rainfall were collected every month between2004and2013. Seasonindex method was applied to analyze the seasonal effects on TB transmission.(2) Differences of incidence of PTB among different groups were analyzed byusing chi-square test. Spearman’s rank correlation test was used for the data that notnormally distributed. Principal component regression was used to explore the mainmeteorological factors that associated with PTB. Statistical analyses were conducted byusing SPSS18.0. P <0.05was considered statistically significant.Results:(1) During2004-2013,6844new PTB cases were reported in Kunshan.The average annual reported incidence rate is44.37per100000. The highest incidencerate of PTB was determined in2004with57.67per100000, while lowest incidence ratewas detected in2010(29.89/100000). New PTB cases occurred all through the year butmainly diagnosed in spring (27.92%) and summer (27.89%). Compared to the resultsfrom suburb, city has higher incidence rate of PTB in Kunshan. Most of PTB patientswere young adults aged from20to34years old. However, the highest incidence rate ofPTB was detected in the people aged>70years old. Males have higher incidence rate than those in females. Also, higher incidence rate of PTB was determined in farmersand local residents.(2) Temperature, total rainfall and the dew point were positively correlated, whilethe air pressure was negatively correlated with the incidence of PTB. The principalcomponent analysis results showed that temperature, pressure, and the dew point werethe main meteorological factors that influence the PTB incidence in Kunshan City.Conclusion: The incidence rate of PTB in Kunshan was significantly decreasedduring2004-2013. The relevant government should pay great attention to the preventionand treatment of PTB in spring and summer, and to the higher risk populations such asyoung adults, the elderly people, males, and farmers. The main meteorological factorsthat related with PTB occurrence were high temperature, low pressure, and high dewpoint.