ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis was severely prevalent in Yunnan Province, and it is difficult to achieve its elimination by convention approaches due to complexity of the nature. We explored the comprehensive model to eliminate schistosomiasis in Eryuan County, Yunnan Province, the People's Republic of China, through integration with the ecological protection programme in Erhai Lake, in order to promote an efficient elimination strategy. We expected that this model is able to be tailored to other local settings, which help achieve the goal of precisely eliminating the disease in Yunnan Province. METHODS: Eryuan County of Yunnan Province was chosen as the study area, where the data on environmental protection activities in Erhai Lake and on the schistosomiasis control programme were collected through different departments of Erhai County government since 2015. System modelling was performed using system dynamics software to establish a simulation model in order to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention activities. RESULTS: Ecological approaches to control schistosomiasis in Eryuan County consist of three major components: (i) implementing precise interventions to stop schistosomiasis transmission by means of controlling the source of infection, blocking the biological transmission chains and cutting off the route of disease transmission; (ii) employing ecological approaches to improve the co-effectiveness of environmental protection and schistosomiasis prevention in the study area; and (iii) strengthening the professional skills of personnel involving in the schistosomiasis control programme. Simulation results showed that this strategy could speed up the progress of schistosomiasis control programme moving from the control stage to the elimination stage. CONCLUSIONS: Ecological approaches implemented in schistosomiasis endemic areas of the Eryuan region are able to improve the co-effectiveness of environmental protection and schistosomiasis control, providing a new avenue for eliminating schistosomiasis thanks to the application of precise interventions.
Subject(s)
Communicable Disease Control/methods , Disease Eradication/methods , Ecosystem , Models, Biological , Schistosomiasis japonica/epidemiology , Schistosomiasis japonica/prevention & control , Animals , China/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control/organization & administration , Humans , Schistosoma japonicumABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To understand the condition of the construction and management of sanitary latrines, and assess the effect of disposal of the excrement in rural schistosomiasis endemic areas in Yunnan Province. METHODS: Three villages with schistosomiasis endemic were selected from Eryuan County and 30 households per village were sampled randomly for the field survey. The stool samples were sampled and tested according to the national standard. RESULTS: Totally 90 latrines were surveyed. The popularity rates of sanitary latrines in Yongle, Qiandian and Xinzhuang villages were 83.19%, 83.12% and 81.63% respectively. In the 90 household latrines, only 32.22% located inside the courtyard, and 91.67% of sanitary latrines and 70.00% of non-sanitary latrines had integrated buildings. Maggots or pupae or adult flies were found in 33.33% of sanitary latrines and all of non-sanitary latrines with the average amounts of 1.05 and 3.40 per latrine respectively. The removal rate of fecal coliform, the sedimentation rate of parasitic eggs and the mortality rate of Ascaris eggs were 90.00%, 80.61% and 95.20% on average respectively. The qualified rate of the fecal coliform of the outlet of the sanitary latrines was 41.67%, and the qualified rate of the mortality rate of Ascaris eggs was 78.13%. No living schistosome eggs were found at the outlets of latrines. For the effect of non-hazardous treatment, there was a statistically significant difference between the sanitary latrines and non-sanitary latrines. CONCLUSIONS: The latrine improvement has a good effect on non-hazardous treatment of the excrement in Yunnan Province, but the construction, application and management of sanitary latrines still need to be strengthened.
Subject(s)
Sanitation , Schistosomiasis/prevention & control , Toilet Facilities , Animals , China/epidemiology , Humans , Schistosomiasis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a water-saving irrigation project on schistosomiasis control. METHODS: The Oncomelania snail situation before and after the water-saving irrigation project was investigated, and the data of snails and schistosomiasis of people in the area of the water-saving irrigation engineering were collected and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The incidence of frames with snails declined from 10.70% to 2.27% after actualized water-saving irrigation project, and the snail density declined from 0.42 snails/0.1 m(2) to 0.10 snails/0.1 m(2). The snails were eliminated in 57% of the ditches. The snail area and schistosome infection rate of residents declined obviously. CONCLUSION: The water-saving irrigation project is effective in schistosomiasis control and has good social and economic benefits.
