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. 2025 Jan 21;25(1):95.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-10403-2.

Epidemiological and cluster characteristics of dengue fever in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China, 2013-2023

Shu-Zhen Deng  1 , Xiao-Yu Liu  2 , Jian-Juan Su  2 , Ling-Hui Xiang  3 , Li-Tao Chang  1 , Jun-Jie Zhu  4 , Hai-Lin Zhang  5
Affiliations

Epidemiological and cluster characteristics of dengue fever in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China, 2013-2023

Shu-Zhen Deng et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Yunnan Province, located in the southwestern part of China and neighboring endemic dengue regions of Southeast Asia, has experienced annual autochthonous outbreaks of dengue fever from 2013 to 2023. This study examines the epidemiological and spatiotemporal clustering characteristics of dengue within the province.

Methods: Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyse outbreak characteristics. Excel 2019 and ArcGIS 10.3 software were used to establish a case database and for mapping. Spatial autocorrelation and spatio-temporal clustering analysis were employed to study the features of spatial clustering.

Results: From 2013 to 2023, 30,666 dengue cases were reported in Yunnan Province, of which 22,806 (74.37%) were indigenous and 7,860 (25.63%) were imported. Imported cases from Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam were reported each year, with indigenous outbreaks occurring from June to December. The majority of cases occurred among young adults, mainly farmers, service workers, homemakers, and the unemployed. There was a significant temporal and spatial clustering of dengue incidence, with intense local clustering in the southwestern border areas of the province from July to November, particularly in Xishuangbanna, Dehong, Lincang, Pu'er, and Honghe prefectures.

Conclusion: Autochthonous outbreaks of dengue fever in Yunnan Province occurred predominantly in the border areas adjacent to Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The largest outbreak in the province's history occurred in 2023, related to the increase in imported cases following the reopening of borders after the COVID-19 pandemic. Dengue fever is considered primarily an imported disease in Yunnan, emphasizing the need for enhanced control of cross-border transmission and mosquito vector management.

Keywords: Autochthonous outbreak; Cross-border spread; Dengue fever; Epidemiological characteristics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study has been approved by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers emphasized that no personal identity was recorded. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The case number and incidence rates of dengue fever in Yunnan Province, China, 2013–2023
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of dengue fever cases in 16 prefectures in Yunnan Province, China, 2013–2023
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Month distribution of dengue fever cases in Yunnan Province, China, 2013–2023. A: the whole Yunnan province, B: Lincang, C: Xishuangbanna, D: Dehong
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
lncidence distribution of dengue fever in 129 counties of Yunnan Province, China, 2013–2023
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Spatial distribution of the average annual incidence rates of dengue fever in 129 counties in Yunnan Province
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Spatial-temporal clustering of dengue fever in 129 counties in Yunnan Province, China, 2013–2023
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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