Epidemic status of echinococcosis, brucellosis, and tuberculosis among rural residents in three counties of Wuzhong City, Ningxia, China in 2023

Abstract

In recent years, the rapid development of animal husbandry in rural China has brought about the problem of zoonosis. In 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out to gain an in-depth understanding of the infection status and influencing factors of three common zoonoses (echinococcosis, brucellosis and tuberculosis) among rural residents in three counties/districts of Wuzhong City, Ningxia. For the selection of the study participants, a cluster sampling approach was adopted. We recruited permanent rural residents from the three counties, without imposing any age limitations, to ensure a broad and representative sample. A field survey was then meticulously carried out among these individuals, and blood samples were collected simultaneously. The collected blood was processed to obtain serum, which was subsequently utilized to detect pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Through a comprehensive questionnaire survey administered to the same group of participants, a detailed analysis was performed to assess the current situation of the infections and to identify the various factors that might be influencing the occurrence and spread of these diseases within this specific population. A total of 1847 people participated in the survey, with their ages ranging from 8 to 94 years old. Subsequently, the corresponding blood samples were tested strictly in accordance with the number of valid questionnaires. The detection rates for these diseases were 4.93 % (91/1844) for echinococcosis, 20.52 % (378/1842) for brucellosis, and 7.26 % (134/1847) for tuberculosis. Univariate analysis revealed no significant variation in the positive detection rate of echinococcosis across different demographic groups. However, factors such as sex, age, educational level, occupation, living environment, and breeding conditions and slaughtering situation significantly influenced the positive detection rate of serum antibodies against brucellosis (P < 0.05). The positive rate of serum antibodies for tuberculosis varied under different breeding and protection conditions (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for brucellosis, including male (OR = 1.944, P < 0.001), living with a large number of sheep (OR = 1.640, P = 0.001), and home slaughter (OR = 1.427, P = 0.007), while non-agricultural workers were found to be protective (OR = 0.493, P = 0.003). For tuberculosis, risk factors included raising cattle and sheep at home (OR = 1.877, P = 0.002) and lacking protective contact with these animals (OR = 2.138, P = 0.001). To achieve effective and precise prevention and control of zoonoses, comprehensive measures should be implemented.