title: Toward integrated opisthorchiasis control in northeast Thailand: the Lawa project.
abstract: Human liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, a food-borne trematode is a significant public health problem in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand. Despite a long history of control programmes in Thailand and a nationwide reduction, O. viverrini infection prevalence remains high in the northeastern provinces. Therefore, a new strategy for controlling the liver fluke infection using the EcoHealth/One Health approach was introduced into the Lawa Lake area in Khon Kaen province where the liver fluke is endemic. A programme has been carried using anthelminthic treatment, novel intensive health education methods both in the communities and in schools, ecosystem monitoring and active community participation. As a result, the infection rate in the more than 10 villages surrounding the lake has declined to approximate one third of the average of 50% as estimated by a baseline survey. Strikingly, the Cyprinoid fish species in the lake, which are the intermediate host, now showed less than 1% prevalence compared to a maximum of 70% at baseline. This liver fluke control programme, named "Lawa model," is now recognised nationally and internationally, and being expanding to other parts of Thailand and neighbouring Mekong countries. Challenges to O. viverrini disease control, and lessons learned in developing an integrative control programme using a community-based, ecosystem approach, and scaling-up regionally based on Lawa as a model are described.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Department of Parasitology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Electronic address: banchob@kku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Banchob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sripa
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Faculty of Veterinary Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sirikachorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tangkawattana
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Thewarach
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laha
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sasithorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaewkes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada.
authors.forename: Frank F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Mallory
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Mahidol, Thailand; Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wilcox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000469:parasitology; D064308:Ecological Parameter Monitoring; D017753:Ecosystem; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes; D009889:Opisthorchiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009891:Opisthorchis; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Ecosystems health; Integrated control; Lawa model; Opisthorchis viverrini; Thailand
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