Relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants and hand, foot and mouth disease from 2014 to 2020

Hongxia Peng; Zhenhua Chen; Lin Cai; Juan Liao; Ke Zheng; Shuo Li; Xueling Ren; Xiaoxia Duan; Xueqin Tang; Xiao Wang; Lu Long; Chunxia Yang

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13365-9

Relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants and hand, foot and mouth disease from 2014 to 2020

BMC Public Health. 2022 May 17;22(1):998. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13365-9.

Authors

Hongxia Peng^#¹, Zhenhua Chen^#², Lin Cai^#^{3

4}, Juan Liao^{3

4}, Ke Zheng⁵, Shuo Li¹, Xueling Ren¹, Xiaoxia Duan¹, Xueqin Tang¹, Xiao Wang¹, Lu Long⁶, Chunxia Yang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No.16, Section 3, Renmin south road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² Department of Microbiology Laboratory, Chengdu Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, West China School of Public Health and West China Forth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁴ Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, West China-PUMC C.C. Chen Institute of Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁵ Department of Immunization Planning, Chengdu Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁶ Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No.16, Section 3, Renmin south road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. yangchunxia@scu.edu.cn.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No.16, Section 3, Renmin south road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. longlu201609@163.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Meteorological factors and air pollutants have been reported to be associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) epidemics before the introduction of vaccine. However, there is limited evidence for studies with long-term dimensions.

Methods: We collected the daily HFMD counts, weather and air pollution data from 2014 to 2020 in Chengdu. Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) were used to assess the associations of meteorological factors and air pollutants on HFMD cases.

Results: From 2014-2020, high relative humidity and precipitation and extremely high and low levels of PM₁₀, O₃, SO₂ and CO increased the risk of HFMD. In pre-vaccination period, extreme high and low temperatures, PM₁₀ and NO₂, low precipitation and high concentrations of PM_2.5 and O₃ significantly increase the risk of HFMD; In post-vaccination period, high relative humidity and low level of CO can significantly increase the incidence of HFMD; During the period of COVID-19, only low temperature will significantly increase the risk of HFMD; Low concentration of air pollutants has the greatest impact on the 6-14 age group, while the high concentration of air pollutants has the greatest impact on the 0-1 age group.

Conclusions: Our study suggest that high relative humidity and precipitation and extremely high and low levels of PM₁₀, O₃, SO₂ and CO increased the risk of HFMD from 2014 to 2020. The results of this study provide a reference for local authorities to formulate intervention measures and establish an environment-based disease early warning system.

Keywords: Air pollutants; COVID-19; Hand, foot, and mouth disease; Meteorological factors; Vaccination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / analysis
COVID-19*
China / epidemiology
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease* / epidemiology
Humans
Incidence
Meteorological Concepts

Substances

Air Pollutants