[Study on the strategy of interrupting schistosomiasis transmission in a hilly new endemic area of Taoyuan County].
OBJECTIVE
To develop a strategy for interrupting the transmission of schistosomiasis japonica in a hilly new endemic area.


METHODS
Since 1996, chemotherapy with praziquantel (adult 40 mg/kg, child 50 mg/kg, cattle 30 mg/kg, once a year) on human beings in Taoyuan County who had ever contacted with infectious water and cattle which were herded in endemic situation was the major intervention, with focal control of Oncomelania snails in susceptible areas as supplementary one.


RESULTS
The positive rate of stool examination for schistosomiasis in human and cattle reduced from 5.69% and 6.76% in 1996 to 0.04% and 0 in 2005 respectively. The positive rate of indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) in human dropped from 7.45% in 1996 to 1.61% in 2004. Though living snails were still found in most habitats, the density of infected snails decreased from 0.0036/0.11m2 in 1997 to 0 in 2005 and no infected snails were found since 2000.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to less movement of human and cattle populations and the hilly area relatively isolated, chemotherapy combined with focal mollusciciding have been highly effective in eliminating the infection sources and interrupting transmission of schistosomiasis.
Hunan Provincial Office of Schistosomiasis Control, Changsha, China.
Jin-cheng
JC
Fang
Zhao-wu
ZW
Wu
Xin-sheng
XS
Liu
Ming-yi
MY
Yi
Shi-yuan
SY
Luo
Li-sha
LS
Zeng
Zheng-yuan
ZY
Zhao
Yi-yi
YY
Li
Xian-ping
XP
Peng
Xiao-min
XM
Yao
Ying-cai
YC
Zhou
Hui
H
Pi
D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D002681:China; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006801:Humans; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology
D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel