[Study on the risk factors of schistosomiasis transmission and control strategy in the Three Gorges Reservoir Areas]

Abstract

Objective: To understand the risk factors of schistosomiasis transmission in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) and to provide evidence for the development of control strategy.

Methods: Approaches including epidemiology, immunology and field survey were applied to investigate the potential risk factors which would involve the importation of infectious resources live mobile and migrant population, and livestock in the reservoir area. Meanwhile, observation on survival and reproductive status of snail under simulation habitats was also carried out, using ecological methods on snails. Strategy in preventing the spread of snail as infectious resources was also provided.

Results: 175 mobile people from schistosomaisis endemic area of were tested and one person showed immunology tests positive with indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) and circumoral precipitin test (COPT), with a positive rate of 0.57%. Through the two-year period under observation, data showed that the snails with ribbon/smooth shells could survive and reproduce under habitats of simulation.

Conclusions: Once the infectious resource of schistosomiasis was introduced into the TGRA, the area became a new schistosomiasis epidemic area in TGRA which called for countermeasures to be taken.