Effect of an integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China: an evaluation from 2005 to 2008.
BACKGROUND
Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health concern in China. There are many interventions implemented to control the transmission of the disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of an integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis control.


METHODS
An integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica with emphasis on removing cattle from snail-infested grasslands, providing farmers with mechanized farm equipment, improving sanitation by supplying tap water and building lavatories and latrines and providing boats with fecal-matter containers was implemented in 107 villages of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Jiangsu Province, China, during a 32-month period from May 2005 to 2008, and the effectiveness was investigated.


RESULTS
Following the effects of the comprehensive control, the snail habitat, infected snail habitat, snail infection rate, and S. japonicum prevalence in both humans and livestock all appeared a declining trend year by year, with reductions of 47.88%, 94.29%, 92.55%, 96.94%, and 100% compared with those before the comprehensive control. In addition, all of the 17 counties achieved the infection control in 2007, and 7 reached the criteria of transmission control in 2008. The confirmed snail habitats reduced from 107 to 20, and the acute infections have also been controlled for 2 successive years since 2007.


CONCLUSIONS
The integrated control strategy for schistosomiasis japonica is effective to control the transmission of S. japonicum.
Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, 117 Yangxiang, Meiyuan, Wuxi 214064, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
Le-Ping
LP
Sun
Wei
W
Wang
You-Sheng
YS
Liang
Zeng-Xi
ZX
Tian
Qing-Biao
QB
Hong
Kun
K
Yang
Guo-Jing
GJ
Yang
Jian-Rong
JR
Dai
Yang
Y
Gao
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D045483:Rivers / Q000469:parasitology; D012423:Rural Health; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology