[Epidemiological features and changing patterns of intestinal parasitic diseases in Jiangxi Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological features and changing patterns of intestinal parasitic diseases in Jiangxi Province from 1989 to 2014, so as to provide scientific evidence for formulating the preventive and control strategy for intestinal parasitic diseases. METHODS: The data regarding the status of intestinal parasitic diseases in Jiangxi Province were captured from the 1989 national survey on the distribution of human parasites in China and the 2014 national survey on major human parasitic diseases in China, and the status of human intestinal parasite infections was compared between the two surveys in Jiangxi Province. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of human intestinal parasite infections was 79.59% and 9.64% in Jiangxi Province in 1989 and 2014, with a decline rate of 87.89% during the 25-year period (χ2 = 30 870.5, P < 0.01). There were 24 and 20 species of human intestinal parasites detected in Jiangxi Province in 1989 and 2014, respectively, with totally 26 species detected during the two surveys. In Jiangxi Province, the 3 most highly prevalent human intestinal parasites included Ascaris lumbricoides (71.06%), hookworm (17.61%) and Enterobius vermicularis (17.59%) in 1989, and E. vermicularis (13.73%), hookworm (4.66%), whipworm (0.95%) in 2014. A higher rate of human intestinal parasite infections was found in females than in males in both surveys in Jiangxi Province (P < 0.01), and the prevalence of human intestinal parasite infections reduced by 82.50% to 95.31% in different age groups in Jiangsu Province during the 25-year period. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of human intestinal parasite infections shows a remarkable decline tendency in Jiangxi Province, and soil-transmitted nematodes remain the main species of human intestinal parasites in Jiangxi Province.

[Current status of human hookworm infection in Jiangxi Province in 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of human hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale or Necator americanus) infection in Jiangxi Province. METHODS: A stratified cluster random sampling was conducted based on the geographical location and economic condition in 2014. Kato-Katz's thick smear method was used for stool examinations, and filter paper cultivation was conducted for distinguishing the species of hookworms. RESULTS: A total of 21 615 persons were involved in the investigation, and there were 1 095 persons infected with hookworm with the prevalence of 5.07% (standardized rate of 4.05%). The infection rate of hookworm in Nanfeng County was the highest (13.96%). Most of the infected people had low worm burden (95.43%). The infection rate of hookworm of the female was higher than that of the male (χ2 = 28.03, P < 0.05). The prevalence increased with the age, while the infection rate of hookworm in people at ages of 75 years and higher was the highest (14.79%). Housewife was the highest risk occupation with the infection rate of 7.55%. The differences of infection rates among different educational level groups were significant (χ2 = 135.88, P < 0.05). The prevalence rates of hookworm in different landforms were significantly different (χ2 = 34.37, P < 0.05). The priority species was N. americanus (80.41%) in Jiangxi Province. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of hookworm decreases obviously in Jiangxi Province. The high risk groups of hookworm infection are the people with low educational level, female and elder age-group.

[Investigation of Enterobius vermicularis infection in children in Jiangxi Province in 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To know the status of Enterobius vermicularis infection in children in Jiangxi Province in 2014, so as to provide the evidence for the formulation of prevention and control measures. METHODS: A survey was performed according to the scheme of the 3rd Principal Human Parasites of Jiangxi Province in 2014. Based on the ecological regions, a stratified cluster sampling method was applied by the economic and geographic situation. There were 84 survey sites from 28 counties, and the basic data were also collected in the different investigation sites, and the round-end tube adhesive cellophane anal swab was used to examine E. vermicularis eggs for the children aged 3-6 years. RESULTS: A total of 1 486 children aged 3-6 years were detected, the E. vermicularis infection rate was 13.73% (204/1 486), and the infection rates were 13.89% (114/821) and 13.53% (90/665) in the male and female, respectively. The infection rate in the different age groups showed a gradual rise then fall trend, the lowest infection rate was 10.05% (38/378) in the 3-year age group, and the highest infection rate was 18.24% (81/444) in the 5-year age group. The infection rates in the high, medium and low-income survey sites were 13.79% (87/631), 17.23% (51/296), and 11.81% (66/559), respectively. The E. vermicularis infection rates in the 4 ecological regions were from 12.34% to 17.74%, but there was no significant difference among the different ecological regions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The status of E. vermicularis infection in children in Jiangxi Province is relatively serious, and therefore, the parasitic disease control sectors should continue to strengthen the monitoring and control work of E. vermicularis infection in children.

[Analysis of results of technique competition for parasitic disease diagnosis in Class A tertiary hospitals in Jiangxi Province, 2015].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the capability of parasitic disease diagnosis among professionals from the clinic laboratory of Class A tertiary hospitals in Jiangxi Province. METHODS: The teams that took part in the competition were formed from 20 Class A tertiary hospitals, with 2 contestants per team. The competition contents included written examination and skill operation. The written examination involved the life cycle of parasites, immunological basis, detecting techniques, etiological diagnosis etc., and the skill operation involved making and dying thin and thick blood smears, making Kato-Katz's fecal thick smears, as well as microscopic examinations of smears. RESULTS: A total of 40 participants took part in the competition. Their total average score was 97.3±22.4 with the pass rate of 15.0%, in which the mean score of theoretical knowledge was 56.6±12.8 with the pass rate of 52.5%, and the mean score of skill operation was 40.8±12.4 with the pass rate of 5.0%. In the written examination, the scoring rate of the life cycle of soil-transmitted helminths was the highest (90.0%), and the rate of the basic knowledge of food-borne parasites was the lowest (31.5%). Both the pass rates of blood smear making and examination were higher than those of Kato-Katz's thick smears, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). The detection rates of Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale and negative slides of the contestants were 38.8%, 45.0%, 35.0% and 25.0% respectively. As to the microscopic examination of helminth eggs, the detection rate of Trichuris trichiura egg was the highest (87.5%), and the rate of the Sparganum mansoni egg was the lowest (2.5%). The scores of Kato-Katz's thick smear making and examination of the contestants from the provincial level hospitals were higher than those from the city level hospitals (both P < 0.05), and the score of those from teaching hospitals in Kato-Katz's thick smear making was higher than that of those from non-teaching hospitals (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The technique level of professionals from the clinic laboratory of the Class A tertiary hospitals cannot meet the needs of the diagnosis of parasitic diseases in Jiangxi Province, which should arouse the attention of the health authorities and hospitals.

[Analysis of infective status of Clonorchis sinensis in Jiangxi Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the current prevalence of clonorchiasis in Jiangxi Province. METHODS: A survey was performed according to the scheme of the 3rd Principal Human Parasites of Jiangxi Province. Based on the ecological regions, a stratified cluster sampling method was applied by the economic and geographic situation. In rural areas, the investigation of C. sinensis was carried out together with the soil-transmitted helminths investigation, and in the urban areas, the random cluster sampling method was applied for the C. sinensis investigation. There were 92 survey sites from 32 counties. The eggs of C. sinensis in stool were examined by Kato-Katz technique, and health knowledge was also investigated by questionnaires in some people at the same time. RESULTS: A total of 23 606 sample residents were investigated, and 138 were found infected with C. sinensis, with the infection rate of 0.58%. Light infection was found in most of them. Totally 124 C. sinensis infected persons focused in Xinfeng County, and only a few of infected people scattered in the other counties. In Xinfeng County, 851 residents were investigated. Among them, the infected people were found in all the age groups except the 0- year age group. The highest infection rate appeared in the 70- years group (24.00%). The male infection rate was 20.29%, which was higher than that of the female (6.25%), showing a statistically significant difference (P＜0.01). The infection rate was highest in the population who received high school or technical secondary school education (31.48%). For the occupation distribution, the infection rate was highest in public officers (39.39%). The questionnaire survey showed that the infection rate in the populations in Xinfeng County who had the history of eating raw fish or raw shrimp was 33.15%. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of C. sinensis infection presents a regional aggregation in Xinfeng County, but in other areas, the distribution is sporadic. It is necessary to continue to carry out the parasitic disease screening, and in Xinfeng County, it is necessary to strengthen the comprehensive prevention and control intervention.