Regional epidemiological features of infectious diseases with fecal-oral transmission in the socialist republic of Vietnam

Abstract

Aim: To identify regional epidemiological features of infectious diseases spread by fecal-oral transmission and the factors influencing them in four regions of Vietnam.Materials and methods: Retrospective epidemiological analysis of data of 10 infectious diseases spread by fecal-oral transmission in Vietnam for the period 2017-2022. Maps of incidence by province was created using the QGIS 3.28 program. Correlation coefficients between the incidence of the studied diseases and socio-economic factors were established.Results: It was revealed that the incidence of the 10 studied diseases was 443.1±113.5 0 /0000 and tends to decrease. The highest incidence was recorded in Tay Nguyen. Cases of diarrheal syndrome (330.1±73.8 0 /0000) and enteroviral vesicular stomatitis (HMFD) (93.6±33.4 0 /0000) accounted for 95.65% of all registered cases. Diarrhea is distributed mainly among children under 4 years of age (1090.3±384.8 0 /0000) and 5-9 years old (60.9±18.5 0 /0000). Regional epidemiological features of diarrhea and HMFD are shown. The highest incidence of the HMFD was recorded among children under 4 years of age in Dong Thap (4635.8 0 /0000) and Ho Chi Minh City (4210.5 0 /0000), and the highest incidence of diarrheal syndrome was in Kon Tum (2621.2 0 /0000), Thai Binh (2556.6 0 /0000) and Dien Bien (1461.9 0 /0000). Relationships were established between the incidence of diarrhea and levels of access to safe water (rSpearman = – 0.393; p = 0.001), to the sanitation system (rSpearman = – 0.267; p = 0.035), average monthly income (rSpearman = – 0.424; p = 0.001), poverty levels (rSpearman = 0.403; p = 0.001).Conclusion: The high incidence of infectious diseases spread by fecal-oral transmission in Vietnam is due to the high incidence of diarrhea and HMFD. A high incidence of diarrhea is typical for provinces with low levels of access to safe water and sanitation systems, high levels of poverty and low average monthly income. Incidence of HMFD is high among children under 4 years old, especially in the southern provinces with high population density in the summer and autumn seasons.