[Efficacy of the Sentinel Mouse Method in Monitoring Schistosoma japonicum Infection in Key #br# Water Areas of Hanchuan City].

Objective: To understand the water infectivity of schistosomes in key water areas of Hanchuan City, and explore the use of sentinel mice in surveillance and forecast of schistosomiasis. Methods: Surveillance and forecast sites were set up in North Han River, Diaocha Lake, and Miaowu Ditch in 2014. Sentinel mice （male Kunming mice, n=20 in each site） were placed there within the first ten-day period of June and September, respectively. Field detections lasted 4 h each, for a total of 2 days. The loss and death rates of mice were recorded. Humans and livestocks with activities in these sites were also examined for schistosome infection. The sentinel mice recovered were raised in laboratory for 35 days, dissected, and examined for liver granulomas and adult worm counting. The distribution of sites with positive detections and their infection status were analyzed. Emergency measures were taken in the positive sites. Results: A total of 13（5 sites in North Han River, 5 in Diaocha Lake, and 3 in Miaowu Ditch） surveillance and forecast sites were set up. No infected snail was detected in any of these sites in spring 2014. The detection rate of living snails in North Han River （18.7%, 224/1 201) was significantly higher than that in Diaocha Lake（12.8%, 852/6 644） and in Miaowu Ditch （6.4%, 202/3 147）（P<0.01）. Of the 520 mice placed, 6 were lost, and 514 were recovered, among which 4 mice died during laboratory raising. The remaining 510 sentinel mice were then dissected, revealing infection in 4 mice, with a positive rate of 0.8%. Twenty-seven Schistosoma japonicum worms were collected, and the mean worm burden of positive mice was 6.8 worms per mouse. Three sites (Sansi village, Kangjia village and Doubu village) were found to be positive sites of infection in September, with the detailed number of 2, 1 and 0 in North Han River, Diaocha Lake, and Miaowu Ditch respectively, with a positive rate of 1.5% （3/197）, 0.5% （1/195） and 0 （0/118） in sentinel mice （P>0.05）. In addition, among the 22 cattle found in the 13 sites, 2 were infected with schistosomes; and among the 62 fishermen and boatmen, 2 were infected. Emergency measures were taken in the three positive sites, and no high endemicity occurred. Conclusion: The monitoring of sentinel mice infections can improve the sensitivity of the surveillance and forecast system of schistosomiasis. The infected fishermen and cattle remain the major source of schistosomiasis transmission in Hanchuan City.

[Field evaluation of a novel plant molluscicide "Luo-wei" against Oncomelania hupensis snails II molluscicidal effect in the field of lake areas in Hanchuan City, Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a novel plant molluscicide "Luo-wei" (Tea-seed distilled saponins, TDS) against Oncomelania hupensis in the field of lake areas in Hanchuan City, Hubei Province. METHODS: Immersing experiment and spraying experiment were carried out in 5 ditches and a beach land respectively in Hanchuan City, Hubei Province to compare the molluscicidal effects among 4% TDS, 50% wettable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt (WPN), and 26% suspension concentrate of metaldehyde and niclosamide (MNSC) by different dosages and time. The chi2 test or Fish's exact test was used to examine the differences of snail death rates among them. RESULTS: After 72 h of immersing experiment, the snail death rates in the 2.5 g/m3 TDS group, 3.0 g/m3 TDS group, 2.0 g/m3 WPN group and 2.0 g/m3 MNSC group were 99.33%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, and there was no significant difference among them (P > 0.05). By the end of 15 d after the spraying experiments, the snail death rates were 91.86% in the 2.0 g/m2 MNSC group, 90.26% in the 5.0 g/m2 TDS group, 87.45% in the 2 g/m2 WPN group, and 86.10% in the 3 g/m2 TDS group. The differences between the 5.0 g/m2 TDS group and 2.0 g/m2 MNSC group, as well as the 3.0 g/m2 TDS group and the 2.0 g/m2 WPN group had no statistical significance (both P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The molluscicidal effect of TDS is similar to that of WPN or MNSC. The recommended dosage of TDS is 2.5 g/m3 for immersing or 5 g/ m2 for spraying in the field.

[Effects of different prevention and control measures on schistosomiasis prevalence in different limnetic regions].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the schistosomiasis control effects of the comprehensive control measures based on infectious resources control and the conventional control measures, so as to provide the evidence for improving prevention and control strategies. METHODS: In the Hanbei River basin, the comprehensive control measures based on infectious resources control (conventional measures plus grazing prohibition in the marshland, machine instead of cattle, and marshland development, and so on) were carned out, and in the Nanzhi River basin, the conventional control measures were performed. The schistosomiasis epidemic data were collected, analyzed and compared from 2004 to 2011. RESULTS: In 2004, the infection rate of the populations and cattle in Nanzhi River basin was lower than that in the Hanbei River basin. From 2004 to 2011, the Oncomelania hupensis snail frame occurrence rate and the average density of living snails in the Nanzhi River basin was lower than that in the non-ploughing marshland and preventing wave woods of the Hanbei River basin, and there were schistosome infected snails in the Nanzhi River basin. From 2008 to 2010, there were no infected snails in the non-ploughing marshland of the Hanbei River basin. From 2007, the cattle have been eliminated in the Hanbei River basin. From 2007 to 2011, there were no infected snails in the preventing wave woods of the Hanbei River, but there were schistosome infected cattle found by stool examinations every year in the Nanzhi River basin. From 2004 to 2011, the infection rates of population presented downward trends in the two river basins, but the downward trend was more significant in the Hanbei River basin than in the Nanzhi River basin. CONCLUSION: The conventional control measures and comprehensive control measures based on infectious resources control are both effective, but the latter is more effective.

[Expression of COX-2 and pregnancy associate plasma protein A in coronary arteries and their relationship with acute coronary syndrome: an autopsy study of 42 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of COX-2 and pregnancy associate plasma protein A (PAPP-A) in coronary arteries and their relationship with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: Twenty-one autopsy cases with acute coronary syndrome encountered during the period from 2002 to 2007 were enrolled into the study. Another 21 autopsy cases without evidence of acute coronary syndrome were used as the controls. The right and left coronary arteries of each group were dissected, embedded and processed as paraffin sections. Immunohistochemical study for CD68 and alpha-actin was performed to highlight the presence of macrophages and smooth muscle cells, respectively. The expression of COX-2 and PAPP-A was evaluated. RESULTS: In the acute coronary syndrome group, COX-2 was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells, macrophages and smooth muscle cells. COX-2 expression in the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells (28.60%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (4.76%, chi(2) = 14.13, P< 0.05). There was a positive correlation on COX-2 and PAPP-A expression in smooth muscle cells of the media layer of coronary arteries in acute coronary syndrome group (r = 0.88, P < 0.05). The expression of PAPP-A in smooth muscle cells of the media layer in coronary arteries not associated with plaque formation, was higher than that when there were atherosclerotic plaques (chi(2) = 10.36, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In coronary arteries, COX-2 and PAPP-A play certain roles in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome.