Abstract: Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution patterns of other infectious diarrheal diseases in Lincang City from 2019 to 2023, thereby providing a scientific basis for the formulation of precise and efficacious prevention and control strategies. Methods Surveillance data on other infectious diarrheal diseases in Lincang City from 2019 to 2023 were extracted from the Chinese Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, based on the date of onset. Descriptive epidemiological methods were employed to analyze the distribution by person, place, and time. Global and local spatial autocorrelation analyses were performed on township-level reported incidence rates, supplemented by a spatiotemporal cluster analysis. Results A total of 6 962 cases of other infectious diarrheal diseases were reported in Lincang City from 2019 to 2023, corresponding to an average annual reported incidence rate of 57.67 per 100 000 population. The reported incidence was significantly higher in males than in females (P<0.01), with children under the age of five constituting the largest proportion of cases (6 161/6 962, 88.49%). The incidence exhibited distinct seasonal peaks; while the epidemic trend was generally consistent across months annually, the peak periods varied slightly, primarily occurring between February and April. The three counties (districts) with the highest average annual reported incidence rates were Linxiang District (139.01/100 000), Fengqing County (78.01/100 000), and Yun County (53.40/100 000). The rate of laboratory specimen collection and testing was 64.00% (4 456/6 962). Among the tested specimens, the three most frequently detected pathogens were rotavirus (89.03%, 3 967/4 456), adenovirus (5.27%, 235/4 456), and norovirus (4.71%, 210/4 456). A significant spatial aggregation in disease incidence was identified. High-High (H-H) clusters were predominantly located in 5 to 11 townships within Linxiang District, Fengqing County, and Yun County, with these clusters demonstrating a progressive year-on-year reduction in size. Low-Low (L-L) clusters were primarily situated in 3 to 12 townships in Gengma County and its contiguous areas; over time, these clusters also diminished in scope and migrated from the southwest towards the central and northwestern regions. The findings of the spatiotemporal scan analysis were highly concordant with those of the spatial autocorrelation analysis. Conclusion The reported incidence of other infectious diarrheal diseases in Lincang City from 2019 to 2023 exhibited a clustered spatiotemporal distribution. It is imperative to enhance health education for key populations during high-risk seasons and in high-incidence regions, and to develop scientific, precise, and context-specific prevention and control strategies.

Key words: Other infectious diarrhea, Epidemiological characteristics, Distribution by person, place, and time, Spatial autocorrelation, Spatiotemporal clustering