[Spatial autocorrelation analysis on schistosomiasis cases and Oncomelania snails in three provinces of the lower reach of Yangtze River].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis cases and Oncomelania snails in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi with the assistance of geographic information systems (GIS).


METHODS
Epidemiological data of schistosomiasis in recent 20 years were collected, and the relevant GIS databases were established. The spatial autocorrelation analysis was carried out with ArcView 3. x, S-Plus, and Spatial Statistics software.


RESULTS
Except for schistosomiasis cases in Jiangsu, the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis cases and Oncomelania snails in the three provinces were fitted to the spatial autocorrelation at a certain degree. Generally the autocorrelation coefficients (Moran's I) in Oncomelania snails were higher than that in schistosomiasis cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Spatial autocorrelation analysis can be used to estimate the value of one variable in different spatial position, and it is a good way to find out the spatial cluster distribution in different stages.
Yang
Guo-jing
GJ
Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064.
Zhou
Xiao-nong
XN
Wang
Tian-ping
TP
Lin
Dan-dan
DD
Hong
Qing-biao
QB
Sun
Le-ping
LP
D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D045483:Rivers; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012908:Snails