[Measures of infection source control of schistosomiasis and their effects in four-lake regions of Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a new schistosomiasis control strategy based on the infection source control in four-lake regions of Hubei Province.

METHODS

The new strategy based on the infection source control included the safe water supply, feces harmless treatment, replacing cattle with machine, captive livestock, chemotherapy, Oncomelania hupensis snail control in susceptible areas, hardening ditches, etc, and the new control strategy was implemented for 7 years in 9 counties (cities or districts) of the four-lake regions. The schistosomiasis situations were investigated before and after the intervention of the new strategy.

RESULTS

The coverage rates of feces harmless toilets (three format toilets), biogas digesters, and safe water supply were 42.00%, 23.16% and 93.76%, respectively. The number of ditch hardening was 1 960; the area of eliminating snails was 1378.42 hm2; the number of persons who received the health education was 3,524,818 accounting for 92.17% of the total population; the number of person-time of taking active protection measures was 516,636,963. The average annual decline rates of schistosome infection were 24.42% and 38.38% in residents and cattle, respectively. The endemic villages decreased by 4.77%, the villages with snails decreased by 7.05%, and the villages with snails accounted between 63.19% and 66.21% of the total endemic villages. The area with snails decreased by 90.35%, and the advance schistosomiasis patients decreased by 5.55%, and the fatality rate of advanced schistosomiasis patients decreased by 1.24%. No acute schistosomiasis patients occurred. Type One and Two endemic (heavy endemic) villages decreased to zero; Type Three endemic (moderate endemic) villages decreased by 10.22%; but Type Four endemic (mild endemic) villages increased by 66.38%; and Type Five endemic (no endemic for 5 years) villages decreased by 0.22%. The standards of schistosomiasis transmission controlled have achieved on schedule.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of the new schistosomiasis control strategy based on the infection source control in four-lake regions of Hubei Province can effectively control schistosomiasis.