ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of soil-transmitted nematode infections, as well as the awareness and healthy behavior on soil-transmitted nematodiasis in rural residents of Dezhou City. METHODS: Six villages were selected according to the stratified sampling method; the permanent resident population aged 3 years or above was determined as the investigation objects. The modified Kato-Katz technique was adopted to detect the eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura in the feces of the residents, and the method of cellophane anal swab was used to detect the Enterobius vermicularis infection in children under 12 years old. More than 50 households in each investigated site were randomly selected to investigate the awareness status on nematodiasis prevention and treatment and the condition of healthy behavior formation. RESULTS: A total of 2 294 residents were detected by Kato-Katz methods, 11 of them were positive, and the total infection rate of soil-transmitted nematodes was 0.48%. Totally 260 children were detected and 40 were infected with E. vermicularis, and the infection rate was 15.38%. A total of 898 residents were investigated in the household survey and the awareness rate of nematodiasis prevention and treatment was 44.99%, the proportion of residents with healthy behavior was above 70%. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of soil-transmitted nematode is low in rural areas of Dezhou City, but the infection rate of E. vermicularis in children is higher. The condition of healthy behavior formation is satisfying, but the awareness rate of nematodiasis prevention and treatment of the residents is low. Therefore, the control measures as well as healthy education still should be strengthened.
