Acta tropica最新文献

{"title":"Integrated diagnostic and host biomarker assessment of plasmodium infections in malaria-endemic Peshawar, Pakistan","authors":"Murad Ali Khan ,&nbsp;Sadaf Fayaz ,&nbsp;Muhammad Saeed ,&nbsp;Raheela Murad ,&nbsp;Armeela Murad ,&nbsp;Rifat Ullah Khan ,&nbsp;Shabana Naz ,&nbsp;Antonella Perillo ,&nbsp;Ibrahim A. Alhidary","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107967","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107967","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria remains a major public health problem in Pakistan, where <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> and <em>P. falciparum</em> are predominant. Accurate diagnosis and characterization of malaria-associated hematological and biochemical alterations are essential for effective disease control. This cross-sectional study was conducted in District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during peak malaria transmission months. A total of 2500 suspected patients were screened. Capillary and venous blood samples were collected for microscopy, hematological and biochemical analyses, and PCR. Microscopy was performed on Giemsa-stained blood smears, while PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene was used for genus- and species-specific detection. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using PCR as the reference standard. Multivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted exploratorily to examine demographic, seasonal, and host-response associations. PCR detected significantly more malaria cases than microscopy (p = 0.001), confirming underestimation by the latter. Microscopy showed moderate sensitivity but perfect specificity, with an overall accuracy of 86.4 %, substantial agreement (κ = 0.692), and good discriminatory power (AUC = 0.823). Infection prevalence peaked in September, with higher rates among males aged 21–30 years (p = 0.04). Malaria-positive individuals exhibited significant hematological abnormalities, including reduced hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell indices, alongside leukocyte alterations. Biochemical analysis revealed elevated ALT, AST, bilirubin, and ALP levels with reduced albumin. Parasite density showed negative correlations with hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet counts, and positive correlations with liver enzymes and bilirubin. Overall, this integrated diagnostic and host-response assessment highlights the substantial malaria burden in Peshawar and supports the added value of PCR-based detection combined with hematological and biochemical markers for improved surveillance and disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107967"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low exposure of dogs to ticks and Rickettsia spp. in the vicinity of the largest inland Atlantic rainforest remnant in Southern Brazil","authors":"Matias Pablo Juan Szabó ,&nbsp;Adriane Suzin ,&nbsp;Alexandre Vogliotti ,&nbsp;Rodrigo da Costa Maia ,&nbsp;Marcelo B. Labruna","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dogs accessing natural areas in Brazil are exposed to tick species typically associated with wild carnivores, some of which are vectors of pathogenic <em>Rickettsia</em>. Infested dogs may transport ticks into households and act as amplifying hosts for these agents. Iguaçu National Park (INP), a major inland Atlantic Forest reserve in Brazil, harbors at least nine tick species and five <em>Rickettsia</em> species. This study evaluated tick infestation in 116 rural dogs from properties along most of the 420 km perimeter of INP and 22 urban dogs from forest-adjacent areas in Foz do Iguaçu. Sera from 39 dogs were tested against five <em>Rickettsia</em> antigens using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. A total of 169 ticks were collected, including <em>Rhipicephalus linnaei</em> (n=87), <em>Amblyomma ovale</em> (n=62), <em>Amblyomma coelebs</em> (n=5), and <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> (n=3), with an overall infestation prevalence of 28.3%. Seroprevalence against <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. was 42.9% in rural dogs and 18.1% in urban dogs. The highest titers were 1:512 in rural dogs (against <em>R. parkeri, R. amblyommatis</em>, and <em>R. rhipicephali</em>) and 1:256 in urban dogs (against <em>R. rickettsii</em>), while median titers were zero. Both tick infestation and <em>Rickettsia</em> exposure were lower than those reported in dogs from other Atlantic Forest regions. These findings suggest an overall limited exposure of free-ranging dogs to ticks and <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. Further investigation is needed to understand the causes of this low exposure, including the potential influence of the jaguar population and other wild carnivores in INP, which may restrict dog access to forested areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107975"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145948248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections among asymptomatic Nigerian children using multiplex real-time PCR","authors":"Oluwasola O. Obebe ,&nbsp;Sunday E. Oloche ,&nbsp;Oluwatunmise L. Adeusi ,&nbsp;Olalekan L. Salami","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107972","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107972","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Giardia intestinalis</em>and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> species are protozoan gastrointestinal parasites that are the leading cause of chronic infantile diarrhoea. They are the leading causes of childhood sickness and death worldwide, and they can induce malnutrition, anaemia, diarrhoea, and stunted growth. In Nigeria, there are currently few prevalence studies on the simultaneous identification of <em>Giardia</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> infections in asymptomatic primary school students utilizing molecular detection techniques. To address the sensitivity issues associated with cyst identification in faecal samples using microscopy, multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate genomic DNAs extracted from stool samples from 184 asymptomatic school children for <em>Giardia</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em>, and questionnaires were used to collect epidemiological data. The overall infection rates for <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and <em>G. duodenalis</em> were 1.1% and 1.6% respectively. Schoolchildren who used pit latrines were more likely to have <em>Giardia</em> (2.3%) and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> (2.3%). In contrast, children who did not wash their hands after using the toilet were also more likely to have these protozoan parasites (2.4% and 4.9%). This study shows that <em>Giardia</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> are present among asymptomatic schoolchildren in Nigeria, despite their low prevalence. More large-scale investigations using PCR-based multilocus genotyping in asymptomatic schoolchildren are recommended.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107972"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological insights into mosquito oviposition sites: Water quality, species diversity, and abundance in Blida province, Northern Algeria","authors":"Bochra Maaichia ,&nbsp;Fatma zohra Kara Toumi ,&nbsp;Yahya Al Naggar","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107973","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107973","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mosquitoes are major public health concerns due to their role in transmitting vector-borne diseases. Understanding the ecological factors influencing mosquito development requires analyzing both biotic and abiotic conditions of larval habitats and species-specific oviposition site preferences. This study, conducted from February to July 2024 in ten oviposition sites across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of Blida province, Algeria, aimed to identify mosquito species and characterize the physicochemical and microbial properties of their habitats. Mosquito larvae were collected from natural and artificial sites using the standardized dipping method. Water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and thermotolerant coliforms, and each specimen was morphologically identified using software for Mediterranean basin mosquitoes. A total of 4,077 larvae were identified, representing three genera and five species: <em>Culiseta longiareolata, Culex pipiens, Aedes geniculatus, Culex hortensis</em>, and <em>Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Cs. longiareolata</em> was the most abundant species, followed by <em>Cx. pipiens</em>, while other species were less common. Spearman correlation analysis revealed positive associations between mosquito abundance and pH, and negative associations with calcium concentration. Redundancy analysis indicated that pH, temperature, ammonium, and nitrate levels influenced <em>Cs. longiareolata</em> presence. These results provide foundational data that will serve as a basis for further research and support the development of comprehensive databases and targeted vector control strategies in Algeria</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107973"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural comparison between human and Leishmania infantum Sirtuin 2 NAD-dependent histone deacetylases","authors":"Vicente Salgado Pires ,&nbsp;Mônica Pires Gravina-Oliveira ,&nbsp;Nilton Silva-Junior ,&nbsp;Bernardo Saraiva Veloso ,&nbsp;Sérgio Filipe Maia de Sousa ,&nbsp;Rafael Dias Mesquita","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leishmaniasis is a protozoan disease prevalent in subtropical regions. Its treatment is expensive, especially the liposomal formulation, and parasite resistance must sometimes be overcome. The Sirtuins are a family of NAD-dependent histone deacetylases that have been identified as promising targets for anti-parasitic drugs due to their essential roles in organisms such as <em>Leishmania.</em> There are three known sirtuins in <em>Leishmania infantum</em>: SIR2-related protein 1 (LiSIR2rp1) present in the cytoplasm and nuclei, and LiSIR2rp2–3 present in mitochondria. While a truncated version of the LiSIR2rp1 has already been crystallized, the complete molecular structure remains unresolved. Our study presents a structural computational characterization of the full-length LiSIR2rp1, the non-mitochondrial sirtuin homologous to human sirtuin SIRT2. We generated and validated molecular models for the full-length LiSIR2rp1 using computational tools. The protein presented a highly conserved catalytic core, and the molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) revealed structural stability of this core, similar to that of human sirtuins. However, the LiSIR2rp1 highly flexible central intrinsically disordered region (IDR) simulated an overall MDS instability. These results suggest that the IDR conformational freedom plays a critical role in the functioning of LiSIR2rp1, with a similar loop in hSIRT2. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of LiSIR2rp1′s structural patterns and compare it to its human homolog, thus offering insights into its behaviour. Knowledge about this <em>L. infantum</em> enzyme, a potential target for drug development, could enhance the prospects for future therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145931790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal patterns and clinical characteristics of leptospirosis hospitalizations in Ecuador: a nationwide study (2018–2023)","authors":"Karime Montes-Escobar ,&nbsp;Jefferson Alexander Cueva ,&nbsp;Carlos Salas-Macias ,&nbsp;Carolina Fonseca-Restrepo ,&nbsp;Victor Montes ,&nbsp;Naga Raju Maddela","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107970","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107970","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease highly sensitive to hydro-meteorological changes, posing significant challenges for health systems in endemic regions like Ecuador. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns and clinical characteristics of leptospirosis hospitalizations in Ecuador from 2018 to 2023, identifying vulnerability factors for in-hospital mortality and geographical distribution. A retrospective nationwide study was conducted using hospital discharge records (ICD-10: A270, A278, A279), calculating age-adjusted hospitalization and mortality rates per 100,000 inhabitants. Associations between sociodemographic variables, clinical forms, and vital status were assessed using Fisher's exact test and Pearson’s Chi-square test. A total of 573 hospitalized cases and 11 deaths were analyzed. The results indicated that the icterohemorrhagic form (A270) was the primary determinant of mortality (<em>p</em> = 0.001); while it accounted for only 4.8% of survivors, it represented 45.5% of all fatal cases. Conversely, unspecified leptospirosis (A279) comprised 91.6 % of cases but showed lower lethality, and neither age nor sex were statistically significant predictors of death (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). Temporally, hospitalization rates remained stable from 2018 to 2022, reaching a nadir of 0.0249 per 100,000 in 2021, but surged four-fold in 2023 to 0.1351 per 100,000. This outbreak was geographically concentrated in the Coastal provinces, particularly Guayas and Manabí, coinciding with reports of extreme rainfall. In conclusion, mortality in hospitalized patients is driven mainly by the clinical phenotype (A270) rather than demographic factors. The dramatic surge in 2023 highlights the region's vulnerability to environmental changes, suggesting that public health strategies must prioritize early diagnosis to differentiate severe forms and strengthen \"One Health\" surveillance in high-risk coastal areas to mitigate future climate-associated outbreaks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107970"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145916504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First molecular evidence of Rickettsia massiliae and R. slovaca in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from China","authors":"Yuan-Ping Deng ,&nbsp;Yi-Liu Liu ,&nbsp;Ya Zhang ,&nbsp;Yi-Tian Fu ,&nbsp;Meng Qi ,&nbsp;Guo-Hua Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107968","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107968","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> is a critical cattle ectoparasite and a vector of pathogens, including bacteria and protozoan parasites, that cause diseases such as bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis. To better understand the pathogen profile of this tick in China, we collected 592 tick specimens from seven provinces. Using conventional or nested PCR, we detected a range of pathogens. Six <em>Anaplasma</em> species were identified (prevalence: 3 – 21%), with the highest detection rate in Hunan Province (24%). Spotted fever group rickettsiae, including <em>R. raoultii</em> (21%), Candidatus <em>R. jingxinensis</em> (12%), <em>R. slovaca</em> (8%), <em>R. heilongjiangensis</em> (3%), and <em>R. massiliae</em> (0.7%), were also prevalent. Low rates of <em>Ehrlichia</em> species (1 – 3%) were found. Among protozoans, 71 samples were positive for <em>Theileria</em> species (<em>T. annulata, T. sergenti, T. buffeli, T. sinensis,</em> and <em>T. orientalis</em>), while <em>Babesia bigemina</em> was only detected in Hunan (<em>n</em> = 5) and Henan (<em>n</em> = 1). No <em>Borrelia</em> species were detected. Bacterial co-infections were frequent, particularly between <em>Anaplasma</em> and <em>Rickettsia</em> species. This study reports the first detection of the emerging human pathogens <em>R. slovaca</em> and <em>R. massiliae</em> in <em>R. microplus</em>, revealing a distribution linked to geographic region and tick lineage. Our findings expand the knowledge of tick-borne pathogens in China and highlight their potential public health risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107968"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145904098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro and in silico evaluation of the acaricidal activity of ethanol extract from Xylopia emarginata Mart. on Rhipicephalus microplus","authors":"Juliana Pimenta Cruz ,&nbsp;Victor Soares Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Leonardo Ferreira Oliveira ,&nbsp;Daniel Sobreira Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Eduardo Robson Duarte ,&nbsp;Mauro Aparecido de Sousa Xavier ,&nbsp;Viviane de Oliveira Vasconcelos","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cattle tick <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> has developed resistant populations due to the recurrent use of synthetic acaricides, increasing health and environmental risks; plant extracts may represent a promising alternative<em>.</em> This study evaluated the acaricidal potential of the ethanol extract (EE) from <em>Xylopia emarginata</em> Mart. against larvae and engorged females of <em>R. microplus. In vitro</em> assays, histological, chromatographic, and <em>in silico</em> analyses were performed. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry identified nine compounds, including myrtenal, spathulenol, and caryophyllene oxide. In bioassays, the EE showed high acaricidal activity against larvae, with CL₉₀ = 61.92 mg mL⁻¹ (95 % CI: 53.84–73.84 mg mL⁻¹). In engorged females, oviposition was not significantly affected; however, hatchability was reduced by 32.79 %, accompanied by histological alterations in the ovaries, such as cytoplasmic degradation, vacuolization, and oocyte rupture, that compromised embryonic development. Molecular docking analyses revealed strong binding affinities of spatulenol and caryophyllene oxide to key resistance-related enzymes. For all enzymes, the first score refers to spatulenol and the second to caryophyllene oxide: −8.215 and −8.374 kcal/mol for GST, −6.984 and −7.109 kcal/mol for AChE, and −7.791 and −6.702 kcal/mol for CYP450, suggesting potential mechanisms underlying their acaricidal effects. The predicted absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties indicated good intestinal absorption and compliance with Lipinski's Rule of 5. Together, the results demonstrate that the EE of <em>X. emarginata</em> has promising acaricidal activity, acting at different stages of the tick life cycle and representing a sustainable alternative for the integrated control of <em>R. microplus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107963"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145852976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular evidence of zoonotic bacterial pathogens in hard ticks collected from stray cats in the Jerusalem district, Israel","authors":"J. Gonçalves-Oliveira ,&nbsp;H. Salant ,&nbsp;Y. Nachum-Biala ,&nbsp;A. Antonovskaia ,&nbsp;K.Y. Mumcuoglu ,&nbsp;G. Baneth ,&nbsp;S. Harrus","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are known to harbor a great diversity of bacterial agents with potential human and animal health implications. This study investigated the occurrence of <em>Rickettsia</em> and <em>Bartonella</em> spp. in ticks collected from stray cats in the Jerusalem District. Between March 2021 and October 2024, 5002 stray cats were examined, and 330 ticks were collected from 165 infested individuals (3.3%). Three tick species were detected, <em>Rhipicephalus turanicus</em> (<em>n</em> = 224), <em>Haemaphysalis adleri</em> (<em>n</em> = 99), and <em>Rhipicephalus rutilus</em> (<em>n</em> = 7). <em>Rickettsia massiliae</em>-DNA was detected in 31% of the ticks. Moreover, <em>Bartonella</em>-DNA was detected in 3.3% of the ticks, including the two zoonotic species, <em>Bartonella henselae</em> and <em>Bartonella koehlerae.</em> Co-infections with <em>R. massiliae</em> and <em>B. henselae</em> occurred in 3 of the 330 samples (0.9%). No <em>Rickettsia felis-</em>DNA was detected in any of the tick samples. These findings uncover the circulation of <em>R. massiliae, B. henselae</em> and <em>B. koehlerae</em> among ticks from stray cats in the Jerusalem district and highlight the potential zoonotic risks in this densely populated and touristic region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107961"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145853026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-depth Spatio-temporal analysis of scarlet fever in subtropical China: Aiding targeted control efforts and the healthy China initiative","authors":"Shenglan Liu ,&nbsp;Hengming Liu ,&nbsp;Yuanzhi Huang ,&nbsp;Xinru Lei ,&nbsp;Dongliang Ke ,&nbsp;Zhiqun Lei ,&nbsp;Zhixin Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The public health challenge of scarlet fever, caused by Group A Streptococcus, is significant due to its potential to develop into severe complications, including glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever, and toxic shock syndrome. These sequelae substantially elevate long-term cardiovascular risks and contribute to increased child mortality rates. This investigation aimed to analyze the distribution of scarlet fever in terms of space and time in China from 2004 to 2020, and to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions on its epidemiological characteristics. The comprehensive investigation utilized China's complete national surveillance infrastructure, analyzing 753,697 confirmed cases with 11 fatalities recorded monthly across all 31 provincial divisions from 2004 to 2020. This analysis identified persistent incidence escalation until 2018, with the annual percentage change (APC) peaking at 12.35%, through integrated application of Joinpoint regression, spatial autocorrelation, SaTScan spatiotemporal scanning, characterized by pronounced geographical clustering in northern and eastern provinces. For example the average incidence in high-risk regions like Beijing reached 14.36 per 100,000 and demographic concentration among children aged 0–9 years (Moran's <em>I</em> &gt; 0.4). Province-specific incidence predictions were developed using a range of time-series models that were tailored to the dynamics of local epidemics. The epidemiological landscape transformed dramatically following COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in 2020, with national incidence declining precipitously by over 70% and the previously dissolving as reflected in the plunge of Moran's I from 0.37 to 0.05. This research delivers the inaugural 17-year high-resolution baseline (2004–2019) and a multi-model analytical framework on the Asian continent, offering vital decision support for precision public health interventions as directed by the 'Healthy China' plan. The study concluded that NPIs played a significant role in controlling the spread of scarlet fever. The scientific approach of identifying high-risk areas and vulnerable child groups based on spatial, temporal, and demographic characteristics helps in optimizing the allocation of resources for prevention and control, thereby enhancing infection prevention and control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107954"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145832090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}