[Relationship between levels of antibody to schistosome of armed police officers and soldiers and their camp environment].

OBJECTIVE

To understand the schistosome infection status of armed police officers and soldiers in endemic areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the impact caused by the camp environment.

METHODS

The inside and outside environments of camps were investigated and they were classified as Grade A, B and C according to scores. The levels of antibody to schistosome of the armed police officers and soldiers were tested with ELISA.

RESULTS

A total of 23 780 officers and soldiers in 201 camps were investigated. The positive rates of antibody to schistosome of officers and soldiers stationed in the inner embankment areas, river beach areas and island areas were 1.88%, 3.89% and 4.73%, respectively. In the aforementioned three types areas, the positive rates of antibody to schistosome of soldiers and officers in the camp environment scored as Grade A were 1.23%, 3.28% and 3.33%, respectively, while the positive rates in the environment scored as Grade B were 2.03%, 3.81% and 4.24%, respectively, and the positive rates in the environment scored as Grade C were 3.17%, 5.79% and 5.83%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There are certain correlation between the prevalence of schistosomiasis in armed police forces and the internal and external environments of their camps. The comprehensive environment management is one of the key measures of schistosomiasis control for armed police forces.