[Novel strategies and technologies to achieve the transmission control of schistosomiasis in Jiangsu Province].

According to the requirements of the Mid- and Long-term Plan for Prevention and Control of Schistosomiasis in China and based on the actual situation of schistosomiasis control in Jiangsu Province, this paper demonstrates the new technologies achieved by the scientific innovation and the novel control strategies including integrated control in key regions and control of key populations and surveillance and forecast of key water regions since 2004, with the emphasis on the control and elimination of infected Oncomelania snails. Such strategies and technologies implemented the result in continuous decrease in the endemic situation of schistosomiasis in the province, and the whole province achieved the goal of schistosomiasis transmission control in late 2010.

[Effect evaluation of transmission control of schistosomiasis in 14 counties (cities, districts) of Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the control effect of transmission control of schistosomiasis in 14 counties (cities, districts) of Jiangsu Province. METHODS: According to the requirement of the national assessment scheme of schistosomiasis, the effect of schistosomiasis control was evaluated. The schistosomiasis morbidity and changes in Oncomelania snail status in recent 2 years were assessed. The field survey was done by using the stratified sampling method. A heavy-endemicity administrative village was randomly sampled from the townships with low, moderate and heavy endemicities in each county, respectively as the assessment villages. The morbidity in resident populations and free-grazing domestic animals and the snail infections in the settings where snails were detected and frequent human and domestic animal activities were observed in recent 3 years. RESULTS: During the period from 2007 through 2010, the transmission control effect of schistosomiasis was assessed in 14 counties (cities, districts) of Jiangsu Province, and field surveys were performed in 42 villages of 39 townships. A total of 264 settings, 1 679.73 hm2 and 39 894 frames were surveyed, and 2 179 snails were collected. Of the 405 living snails dissected, no infected snails were detected, and the snail infection rate was 0. Totally 22 147 residents were investigated. The serum examination of schistosome infection was performed in 22 147 residents, and 300 were sero-positive, with a sero-positive rate of 1.35% (0.30%-4.26%). The stool examination was done in 297 sero-positive cases, and no cases were stool-positive, with a stool-positive rate of 0. A total of 2 931 domestic animals were investigated, including 230 head of cattle, 2 333 pigs and 368 sheep, and no infections were detected. The files regarding the schistosomiasis morbidity and snail status have been established in 14 counties (cities, districts). All infected snails were killed in the 14 counties (districts, cities) 2 years prior to the assessment, and the mean time that no infected snails were detected was 2.71 years (2-4 years). No acute schistosomiasis patients were found in all 14 counties (districts, cities) more than 3 years prior to the assessment. CONCLUSION: According to the Criteria for Control and Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (GB 15976-2006), the transmission of schistosomiasis in 14 countries (cities, districts) of Jiangsu Province has been controlled.

A Google Earth-based surveillance system for schistosomiasis japonica implemented in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.

BACKGROUND: Due to the success of the national schistosomiasis control programme in China, transmission has been sufficiently reduced in many areas to severely limit identification of areas at risk by conventional snail surveys only. In this study, we imported Google Earth technology and a Global Positioning System (GPS) into the monitoring system for schistosomiasis surveillance of the banks of the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province, China. METHODS: A total of 45 sites were selected and the risk was assessed monthly by water exposure of sentinel mice at these sites from May to September in 2009 and 2010. The results were assembled and broadcast via the Google Earth platform. RESULTS: The intensity of schistosomiasis transmission showed peaks of risk in June and September of 2009, while there was only one small peak in June in 2010 as the number of detected positive transmission sites dropped dramatically that year thanks to improved mollusciciding. River ports were found to be areas of particular risk, but ferry terminals and other centres of river-related activities were also problematic. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that the surveillance system can be rapidly updated and easily maintained, which proves the Google Earth approach to be a user-friendly, inexpensive warning system for schistosomiasis risk.

[Strategy of comprehensive control for schistosomiasis and its effect in key areas of Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of comprehensive control for schistosomiasis in key areas of Jiangsu Province. METHODS: The basic data and the data of implementation of comprehensive control measures were collected from the key areas of Jiangsu Province, including 30 townships, 87 marshlands and 78 anchor points. A field survey was carried out to investigate the Oncomelania snail status by using the systematic sampling method and schistosomiasis morbidity in humans and animals in the 12 key counties (districts). The changes of snail status and morbidity of humans and animals were statistically analyzed in key counties (districts) where comprehensive control measures was implemented, and the effects of schistosomiasis control before and after the implementation of the comprehensive control were compared. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2010, a total of 84 100 harmless latrines were constructed, 339 600 persons were examined, 2.6938 million people received health education, 112 000 protective creams and 798 000 publicity materials were allocated, 9 085 domestic animals were reared in pens, 11 800 domestic animals were examined, 130 high-risk cattle were eliminated in 30 key townships of 12 countries (districts), Jiangsu Province. A total of 19 640.78 hm2 were controlled with molluscicides, 798 warning tablets were placed, 116.07 hm2 of farmlands were ploughed up and planted, 306.80 hm2 were dug for fish culture, and 506.74 hm2 were planted with trees for snail control in 87 high-risk marshlands. A total of 118.83 million Yuan were invested into the water resources development projects, 39.82 km-long rivers were dredged, 70.04 km-long bank were concreted, 30 culvert gates were re-constructed, and 22 snail sedimentation tanks were built. In the 78 anchor points, 95 harmless public toilets were built, 3 192 stool container were allocated, 28 700 boatmen were examined, 71 600 protective creams and 53 200 publicity materials were allocated, and 46 600 persons received health education. Following the implementation of comprehensive control, the settings with infected snails, infected snail areas, infection rates of snails reduced from 75, 802.73 hm2 and 0.10% before the comprehensive control in 2007 to all 0 in 2010, with reduction rates of all 100%. The infection rates of schistosome in both humans and domestic animals appeared declining trends in 12 counties (districts) from 2005 to 2010, and the human infection rates were 0.16%, 0.04%, 0.02%, 0.02%, 0.01% and 0.01%, respectively, while being 0.11%, 0.05%, 0, 0, 0 and 0, respectively in domestic animals. During the period of comprehensive control, totally 45 transmission-controlled townships and 183 villages were newly added. In 2010, all of the 12 counties (districts) reached the criteria of schistosomiasis transmission control. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive control with emphasis on the key areas where infected snails are found, is an effective measure to further facilitate schistosomiasis control and rapidly control the transmission of schistosomiasis.

Effect of an integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China: an evaluation from 2005 to 2008.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health concern in China. There are many interventions implemented to control the transmission of the disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of an integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis control. METHODS: An integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica with emphasis on removing cattle from snail-infested grasslands, providing farmers with mechanized farm equipment, improving sanitation by supplying tap water and building lavatories and latrines and providing boats with fecal-matter containers was implemented in 107 villages of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Jiangsu Province, China, during a 32-month period from May 2005 to 2008, and the effectiveness was investigated. RESULTS: Following the effects of the comprehensive control, the snail habitat, infected snail habitat, snail infection rate, and S. japonicum prevalence in both humans and livestock all appeared a declining trend year by year, with reductions of 47.88%, 94.29%, 92.55%, 96.94%, and 100% compared with those before the comprehensive control. In addition, all of the 17 counties achieved the infection control in 2007, and 7 reached the criteria of transmission control in 2008. The confirmed snail habitats reduced from 107 to 20, and the acute infections have also been controlled for 2 successive years since 2007. CONCLUSIONS: The integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica is effective to control the transmission of S. japonicum.