Monitoring and SWOT analysis of Ascaris eggs pollution in soil of rural China / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To understand the status of Ascaris eggs pollution in soil at national monitoring spots of soil-transmit-ted nematodiasis,so as to provide the evidence for making countermeasures and evaluating the control effect. Methods Ten households were selected from each of the 22 national monitoring spots annually according to the National Surveillance Program of Soil-Transmitted Nematodiasis(Trial),and the soil samples from vegetable gardens,toilet periphery,courtyards and kitchens were collected and examined by using the modified floatation test with saturated sodium nitrate. Fertilized or unfertilized eggs as well as live or dead fertilized eggs were discriminated and identified. In addition,a SWOT analysis of monitoring of Ascaris eggs pollution in the soil of rural China was carried out. Results A total of 1 090 households were monitored in 22 monitoring spots from 2006 to 2010. The total detection rate of Ascaris eggs in the soil was 30.73%,and the detection rates of fertilized,unfertilized and live fertilized eggs were 13.21%,26.42%and 20.28%,respectively. The total detection rates of Ascaris eggs in the vegetable garden,toilet periphery,courtyard and kitchen were 16.51%,13.49%,14.22% and 10.73% respectively. The SWOT analysis demonstrated that the monitoring work had both advantages and disadvantages,and was faced with opportunities as well as threats. Conclusion The pollution status of Ascaris eggs in the soil is still quite severe at some national monitoring spots,and the counter-measures such as implementing hazard-free treatment of stool,improving water supply and sanitation and reforming environment should be taken to protect people from being infected.

The correlation between contamination of soil with Ascaris sp. eggs in school yards and ascariasis among primary school children in Mai Trung Commune, Northern Vietnam

Four hundred and six soil samples collected from five schoolyards in Mai Trung Commune, Bac Giang Province, Northern Vietnam, from 2005 to 2007 were examined for helminth eggs using a sucrose centrifugal flotation method. The soils around latrines was found to be heavily contaminated with <I>Ascaris</I> sp. eggs. The contamination rate of Ascaris sp. eggs at each school and prevalence of ascariasis among the school children showed a positive correlation (P&It;0.05). This indicated that examination of soil from the area around latrines for <I>Ascaris</I> sp. eggs is a useful method to estimate the prevalence of ascariasis among school children.