Epidemiological and Spatiotemporal Clustering Analysis of Human Brucellosis — China, 2019−2023

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="Summary"> <sec> <b>What is already known about this topic?</b> The number of reported cases of human brucellosis significantly increased from 45,046 (3.25/100,000) in 2019 to 70,439 (4.99/100,000) in 2023. </sec><sec> <b>What is added by this report?</b> Human brucellosis continued to spread and expand of in northern China, with the most cases reported in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (<i>n</i>=87,961), Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (<i>n</i>=27,845) and Shanxi Province (<i>n</i>=21,932). In southern China, reported cases increased substantially from 2,036 in 2019 to 5,128 in 2023. Joinpoint regression analysis revealed an upward trend in incidence rate across 29 provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs), with an annual percent change (APC) of 12.86, (<i>P</i>&lt;0.05), with particularly rapid increases observed in most southern PLADs. Spatiotemporal analysis identified high-risk clusters concentrated in the northwestern and northeastern regions. </sec><sec> <b>What are the implications for public health practice?</b> With the continued worsening of human brucellosis over the past five years, implementing strict controls on the movement of infected animals is urgeent. </sec>