RESUMEN
The nylon pocket concentration method and modified Kato-Katz technique were used to detect the eggs of intestinal parasites and the iodine smear method was used for the detection of protozoa among the rural population in West Dongting Lake region. The infection rate of parasites in 2006 was 11.84%, and it declined by 86.63%, 81.34%, and 47.28%, respectively, compared to the rates in 1983, 1993, and 2003. Six major parasites were detected including Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Fasciolopsis buski, hookworm, Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia, and their infection rates were 8.60%, 6.41%, 1.75%, 0.14%, 2.50%, and 1.22%, respectively. The rate of multiple infections was 22.98%. The infection rates in the 5-9 years age group and 10-14 years age group were higher than those in other age groups.