Abstract
Schistosomiasis japonica remains one important public health concern that cause great loss of humans' health and social-economic development in the Peoples' Republic of China. At the end of 1990s and the beginning of 2000s, there were still about 0.8 million patients and nearly 85 million people living in the epidemic areas around China. We undertook full analysis of the epidemiological data of schistosomiasis taken from the report of schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China from 1999 to 2010 for effectiveness assessment of China's new strategy for schistosomiasis control nationwide after its implementation since the beginning the 21st century. The schistosomiasis-endemic uncontrolled counties or towns decreased in number from 1,149 in 2002 to 643 in 2010 at a rate of 44 %. The number of schistosomiasis patients decreased from nearly 800,000 to less than 326,000 in 2010 at a decrease rate of more than 50 %. The number of acute schistosomiasis patients also decreased significantly, and only 43 cases were reported in 2010. The infection rates of cattle in the endemic uncontrolled provinces decreased greatly though the number of cattle and the actual snail habitat areas remained large with no obvious decline. The schistosome infection rates of human and cattle both decreased significantly by more than 64 % and 75 %. However, most of the uncontrolled schistosomiasis-endemic areas, schistosomiasis patients, and acute cases are generally located in the four provinces (Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Anhui) of the lake regions in the middle and lower reach of the Yangtze River, and the egg-positive rates in diagnosed human in endemic Hunan and Hubei remained higher than 10 %. Therefore, the new strategy of schistosomiasis control via integrated measures emphasizing infection source control is scientific and successful around China, though it is essential to explore an effective and sustainable strategy for schistosomiasis control in the tough lake and marshland regions of China. The four provinces (Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Anhui) of the lake regions in China are the main battlefield of China's schistosomiasis control in the present and future.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cao L, Hu GH, Guo JG, Zhang J, Cao CL, Li D, Yu Q, Lin H (2003) Compliance study on mass chemotherapy with praziquantel in schistosomiasis hyper-endemic area of Poyang Lake region for successive 6 years. Parasitoses Infect Dis 1:153–155 (In Chinese)
Chen XY, Jiang QW, Zhao GM, Hao Y, Wang LY, Zheng J (2001) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2000. Chin J Schisto Control 13:129–131 (In Chinese)
Chen XY, Jiang QW, Wang LY, Zhao GM, Zhao Q, Gu YA, Wei JG, Hao Y (2002) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2001. Chin J Schisto Control 14:241–243 (In Chinese)
Chen XY, Wu XH, Wang LY, Dang H, Wang Q, Zheng J, Guo JG, Jiang QW, Zhao GM, Zhou XN (2003) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2002. Chin J Schisto Control 15:241–244 (In Chinese)
Hao Y, Wu XH, Xia G, Zheng H, Guo JG, Wang LY, Zhou XN (2005) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2004. Chin J Schisto Control 17:401–404, In Chinese
Hao Y, Wu XH, Xia G, Zheng H, Guo JG, Wang LY, Zhou XN (2006) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2005. Chin J Schisto Control 18:321–324 (In Chinese)
Hao Y, Wu XH, Zheng H, Wang LY, Guo JG, Xia G, Chen C, Zhou XN (2007) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2006. Chin J Schisto Control 19:401–404 (In Chinese)
Hao Y, Wu XH, Zheng H, Wang LY, Guo JG, Xia G, Chen C, Zhou XN (2008) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2007. Chin J Schisto Control 20:401–404 (In Chinese)
Hao Y, Zheng H, Zhu R, Guo JG, Wu XH, Wang LY, Chen C, Zhou XN (2009) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2008. Chin J Schisto Control 21:451–456 (In Chinese)
Hao Y, Zheng H, Zhu R, Guo JG, Wang LY, Chen C, Zhou XN (2010) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2009. Chin J Schisto Control 22:521–527 (In Chinese)
He HB (2011) Thought of schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on controlling sources of infection in lake and marshland endemic regions. Chin J Schisto Control 23:710–713 (In Chinese)
He HB, Peng XS, Wang JS, Zhang CS, Zuo JZ, Li GP, Ren MY, Shi MZ, Wei WY (1999) Compliance and its influencing factors study on mass chemotherapy with praziquantel for schistosomiasis treatment in the Dongting Lake. J Pract Parasit Dis 7:183–184 (In Chinese)
Hu GH, Hu J, Song KY, Lin DD, Zhang J, Cao CL, Xu J, Li D, Jiang WS (2005) The role of health education and health promotion in the control of schistosomiasis: experiences from a 12-year intervention study in the Poyang Lake area. Acta Trop 96:232–241
Jiang MS, Liu R, Zhao QP, Dong HF (2010) Social epidemiological thinking about schistosomiasis. Chin J Schisto Control 22:201–205 (In Chinese)
Lei ZL, Zheng H, Zhang LJ, Zhu R, Guo JG, Li SZ, Wang LY, Chen C, Zhou XN (2011) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2010. Chin J Schisto Control 23:599–604 (In Chinese)
Liang XY, Wang NR, Yuan XB (2008) Problems and strategies of comprehensive measures with controlling infection sources as predominance for schistosomiasis control. Chin J Schisto Control 20:313–314 (In Chinese)
Liu R, Dong HF, Jiang MS (2012) What's the role of health education in the integrated strategy to control transmission of Schistosoma japonicum in China? Parasitol Res 110(5):2081–2082
Schistosomiasis Experts Consultation Committee of the Health Ministry in China (2006) Key points of strategy for research and control of schistosomiasis of human being and animals. Chin J Schisto Control 18:81–82 (In Chinese)
Utzinger J, Zhou XN, Chen MG, Bergquist R (2005) Conquering schistosomiasis in China: the long march. Acta Trop 96:69–96
Wang LD (2005) The key for China's schistosomiasis control is to manage the feces of humans and animals. Chin J Epidemiol 26:929–930 (In Chinese)
Wang LY, Jiang QW, Liu JX, Zhao GM, Chen XY (2000) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 1999. Chin J Schisto Control 12:321–323 (In Chinese)
Wang LD, Utzinger J, Zhou XN (2008) Schistosomiasis control: experiences and lessons from China. Lancet 372:1793–1795
Wang LD, Chen HG, Guo JG, Zeng XJ, Hong XL, Xiong JJ, Wu XH, Wang XH, Wang LY, Xia G, Hao Y, Chin DP, Zhou XN (2009a) A strategy to control transmission of Schistosoma japonicum in China. N Engl J Med 360:121–128
Wang TP, Zhang SQ, He JC, Zhang GH, Tao CG (2009b) The shallow of strategy emphasizing infection sources control for schistosomiasis control (continued). J Trop Dis Parasitol 7:244–247 (In Chinese)
Xiao DL, Yu Q, Dang H, Guo JG, Zhou XN, Wang LY (2004) Schistosomiasis status in People's Republic of China in 2003. Chin J Schisto Control 16:401–404 (In Chinese)
Xu JF, Xu J, Yang GJ, Jia TW, Li SZ, Liu Q, Zhou XN (2011) Risk factors of schistosomiasis transmission in marshland and lake regions in midstream of Yangtze River. Chin J Schisto Control 23:634–641 (In Chinese)
Yang G, He L, Chang Y, Luo YM (2010) The role of new rural construction in schistosomiasis control. Parasitoses and Infectious Diseases 8:145–148
Zhang Z, Zhu R, Ward MP, Xu W, Zhang L, Guo J, Zhao F, Jiang Q (2012) Long-term impact of the World Bank Loan Project for schistosomiasis control: a comparison of the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis risk in China. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 6:e1620
Zheng J (2005) Schistosomiasis control in China should emphasize social measures. Foreign Med Sci Epidemiol Lemology 32:4–7 (In Chinese)
Zheng J (2009) Achievements and challenges in schistosomiasis control in China. Chin J Parasitol Parasit Dis 27(5):398–401 (In Chinese)
Zhou XN, Wang LY, Chen MG, Wu XH, Jiang QW, Chen XY, Zheng J, Utzinger J (2005) The public health significance and control of schistosomiasis in China—then and now. Acta Trop 96:97–105
Zhou XN, Wang TP, Lin DD, Wu XH (2009) Current strategy and its effect on control of schistosomiasis transmission in China. Int J Med Parasit Dis 36:266–273 (In Chinese)
Zhou XN, Lin DD, Wang TP, Chen HG, Guo JG, Liang YS, Qiu DC, Dong XQ, Li SZ (2011a) Control strategy of schistosomiasis and key points in the 12th five-year plan in China. Chin J Schisto Control 23:1–4 (In Chinese)
Zhou YB, Liang S, Chen GX, Rea C, He ZG, Zhang ZJ, Wei JG, Zhao GM, Jiang QW (2011b) An integrated strategy for transmission control of Schistosoma japonicum in a marshland area of China: findings from a five-year longitudinal survey and mathematical modeling. AmJTrop Med Hyg 85(1):83–88
Zhou LY, Deng Y, Steinmann P, Yang K (2012a) The effects of health education on schistosomiasis japonica prevalence and relevant knowledge in the People's Republic of China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasitol Int S1383–5769(12):00158–4
Zhou XN, Jiang QW, Guo JG, Lin DD, Zhu R, Yang GJ, Yang K, Li SZ, Xv J (2012b) Road map for transmission interruption of schistosomiasis in China. Chin J Schisto Control 24:1–4 (In Chinese)
Acknowledgments
Financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) awarded #30872202. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript, and the content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSFC. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
We thank the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of Chinese Ministry of Health and the Institute for Parasites Disease Control and Prevention of Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control for their release of the national schistosomiasis epidemiological data every year since 1999 and the detailed data are the basis of this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, R., Dong, HF. & Jiang, MS. The new national integrated strategy emphasizing infection sources control for schistosomiasis control in China has made remarkable achievements. Parasitol Res 112, 1483–1491 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3295-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3295-5