title: Monitoring the transmission of Schistosoma japonicum in potential risk regions of China, 2008 - 2012.
abstract: Schistosomiasis japonica, caused by Schistosoma japonicum infection, remains a major public health concern in China, and the geographical distribution of this neglected tropical disease is limited to regions where Oncomelania hupensis, the intermediate host of the causative parasite, is detected. The purpose of this study was to monitor the transmission of S. japonicum in potential risk regions of China during the period from 2008 through 2012. To monitor the transmission, 10 fixed surveillance sites and 30 mobile sentinel sites were selected in 10 counties of four provinces, namely Anhui, Jiangsu, Chongqing and Hubei. There were 8, 9, 6, 2 and 3 cases infected with S. japonicum detected in the 30 mobile sentinel sites during the 5-year study period, while 27 subjects were positive for the antibody-based serum test in the 10 fixed sentinel sites; however, no infection was found. In addition, neither local nor imported livestock were found to be infected. No O. hupensis snails were detected in either the fixed surveillance or the mobile sentinel sites; however, the snail host was found to survive and reproduce at Chaohu Lake, inferring the potential of transmission of the disease. It is suggested that the continuous surveillance of schistosomiasis japonica should be carried out in both the endemic foci and potential risk regions of China, and an active, sensitive system to respond the potential risk of transmission seems justified.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, China. danghuinew@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, China. xfmjing@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, China. lisz@chinacdc.cn.
authors.forename: Shi-Zhu
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Anhui Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Hefei 230061, China. ahzhiguo@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Wuxi 214064, China. huang_yixin@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing 400042, China. wcguo94@163.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-Guo
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Hubei Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Wuhan 430079, China. tuzuwu@163.com.
authors.forename: Zu-Wu
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, China. zhouxn1@chinacdc.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Nong
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012098:Reproduction; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology