Influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk in Anhui Province based on sixteen year's longitudinal surveillance data: a spatio-temporal modelling study

BACKGROUND: Urbanization greatly affects the natural and social environment of human existence and may have a multifactoral impact on parasitic diseases. Schistosomiasis, a common parasitic disease transmitted by the snail Oncomelania hupensis, is mainly found in areas with population aggregations along rivers and lakes where snails live. Previous studies have suggested that factors related to urbanization may influence the infection risk of schistosomiasis, but this association remains unclear. This study aimed to analyse the effect of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk from a spatial and temporal perspective in the endemic areas along the Yangtze River Basin in China. METHODS: County-level schistosomiasis surveillance data and natural environmental factor data covering the whole Anhui Province were collected. The urbanization level was characterized based on night-time light data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) and the National Polar-Orbiting Partnership's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP-VIIRS). The geographically and temporally weighted regression model (GTWR) was used to quantify the influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk with the other potential risk factors controlled. The regression coefficient of urbanization was tested for significance (α = 0.05), and the influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk was analysed over time and across space based on significant regression coefficients. Variables studied included climate, soil, vegetation, hydrology and topography. RESULTS: The mean regression coefficient for urbanization (0.167) is second only to the leached soil area (0.300), which shows that the urbanization is the most important influence factors for schistosomiasis infection risk besides leached soil area. The other important variables are distance to the nearest water source (0.165), mean minimum temperature (0.130), broadleaf forest area (0.105), amount of precipitation (0.073), surface temperature (0.066), soil bulk density (0.037) and grassland area (0.031). The influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk showed a decreasing trend year by year. During the study period, the significant coefficient of urbanization level increased from − 0.205 to − 0.131. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection has spatio-temporal heterogeneous. The urbanization does reduce the risk of schistosomiasis infection to some extend, but the strength of this influence decreases with increasing urbanization. Additionally, the effect of urbanization on schistosomiasis infection risk was greater than previous reported natural environmental factors. This study provides scientific basis for understanding the influence of urbanization on schistosomiasis, and also provides the feasible research methods for other similar studies to answer the issue about the impact of urbanization on disease risk. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40249-023-01163-3.