Landscape of Zoonoses Clusters in Bangladesh from 2001 to 2016: Impact to National Health

Abstract

It remains unclear how human diseases are distributed spatially and temporally in Bangladesh. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted using Bangladesh National Health Surveillance Data from 2000 to 2016, examining the risk factors, transmission mode, and treatment of viral dengue fever (DF), Nipah virus encephalitis (NiVE), rabies, zika, protozoan malaria, and bacterial anthrax in Bangladesh. Morbidity and mortality rates for dengue were 375 to 6132 cases and 0 to 2.5%, respectively, with the major hotspots in urban areas of Dhaka, Khulna, and Chittagong. It was reported that all four causative virus serotypes were present. It was estimated that Nipah morbidity/mortality ranged from 4 to 44 cases and 25 to 92%. The highestburden was to be found in the Northwestern and Central districts, with 31 geographical clusters. Despite being an emerging disease, Zika remains an underreported problem. Dhaka and its surrounding regions saw an increase in rabies cases caused by dog bites. Rabies was associated with a morbidity/mortality rate of 0 to 100,000 cases and 0 to 3.61%, respectively. Mortality and morbidity from anthrax were 0 to 607 cases and 0 to 0.0164%, respectively. The disease was prevalent in Sirajganj and its surrounding areas. Most cases were attributed to butchershandling infected cattle-meat. There were 3864 to 84690 malaria cases, with a mortality rate of 0.03 to 0.54%. 28.6 to 95.2% of the cases were caused by the protozoa P. falcifarum. Malaria is hyper-endemic in the Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati districts. Since the beginning of the 2000s, advanced diagnostic, preventive, and treatment methods have been introduced to combat malaria. In order to control the spread of zoonotic diseases in the future, public health officials must take intensive interactive preventive measures.