Notified Vector-Borne Diseases - China, 2005-2024

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) represent a significant category of infectious diseases. Analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of VBDs in China, including their temporal and spatial distributions, provides essential evidence for developing effective prevention and control strategies.

Data for 14 types of VBDs from 2005 to 2024 were obtained from the China National Infectious Disease Surveillance System. These diseases were categorized as mosquito-borne, tick-borne, rodent-borne, and other VBDs. Using the Mann-Kendall trend test, we analyzed demographic characteristics, spatial distribution, temporal trends, and seasonal patterns of notified cases over the 20-year period.

From 2005 to 2024, a total of 1,129,736 VBD cases were reported in China. Scrub typhus (28.17%), malaria (20.8%), hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS, 18.4%), dengue (12.61%), and schistosomiasis (8.42%) collectively accounted for 88.4% of all cases. Over a 20-year period, mosquito-borne and rodent-borne diseases indicated significant declining trends (P<0.05), while tick-borne and other VBDs demonstrated significant increasing trends (P<0.05). Dengue, scrub typhus, and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) expanded geographically, with annual increases of 10.89, 12.37, and 7.07 reporting cities, respectively. Although diseases such as plague, malaria, and schistosomiasis have been effectively controlled, the incidence of scrub typhus, dengue, HFRS, and SFTS has remained high in recent years.

The burden of VBDs in China remains substantial, with an increasing trend observed over the past 5 years. The rising incidence and geographic expansion of scrub typhus, dengue, and SFTS warrant particular attention from public health authorities.