title: Schistosomiasis in a migrating population in the lake region of China and its potential impact on control operation.
abstract: Coverage of migrating people in schistosomiasis control program is a growing concern in China. Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum is still one of the major infectious diseases of public health importance in China though tremendous efforts have been made to control the transmission over the past decades. Along with the rapid social-economic development, migrant population has been remarkably increasing across the country. The infected migrants may introduce a new souse of infection to endemic areas or the areas where the transmission had been controlled or interrupted but the intermediate host Oncomelania snail is still present. Preliminary studies for surveillance on schistosomiasis prevalence in migrants were reported, but there is little basic information provided. We carried out an investigation on the prevalence in immigrants, emigrants and permanent residents in three villages of Hunan province located in the main endemic area of lake region, and analyzed the potential impact of migration on control practice. In the study villages, the migrant population accounts for 53.6% of the total. Schistosoma infection was detected by modified Kato-Katz method and miracidium hatching test. Questionnaire survey was conducted comprising knowledge of disease and its transmission, water contact, personal protective measures, and whether examined and treated after water contact. The survey indicated that the migrants and permanent residents had similar life style, and the majority of them experienced water contact in agricultural work or routine life activities. However, the infection rate in immigrants was significantly higher than that in permanent residents. It was also found that the migrants had significantly less knowledge about the disease than the permanent residents, and took no personal protective measures. This is due to that the control program could not cover the migrants when they were absent at the time the program being implemented. The present study suggested that the surveillance and intervention for migrants, immigrants in particular, should be included and strengthened in schistosomiasis control program and a feasible scheme be developed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: caoc1889@163.com.
authors.forename: Chun-li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zi-ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shi-zhu
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hunan Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wang-yuan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Hunan Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia-gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, The Key laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, China, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zfeng0909@163.com.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000187:drug effects*; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012556:Schistosomicides
keywords: China; Impact factor; Knowledge of schistosomiasis; Migrant population; Schistosomiasis japonica