Associations of greenhouse gases, air pollutants and dynamics of scrub typhus incidence in China: a nationwide time-series study

We found that most greenhouse gases and air pollutants increase the risk of contracting scrub typhus, mainly driven by CH₄, NO_x, and NMVOC. Among these, the primary high-level pollutants have long-term lag effects during the epidemic period. The correlation between environmental factors and scrub typhus incidence varies significantly across different age groups and risk periods. Among them, middle-aged and young individuals are more susceptible to the effects of exposure to mixed air pollutants. CNN algorithm can help develop a comprehensive early warning system for scrub typhus. These findings may have important implications for guiding effective public health interventions in the future. The primary interventions should focus on controlling greenhouse gas emissions and reducing air pollutants, which can, in turn, be used to support infectious disease monitoring systems through environmental monitoring. Moreover, given the cross-sectional approach of our study, these findings need to be confirmed through additional cohort studies.