[Current status of chronic filariasis in Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the current status of chronic filariasis patients in Jiangsu Province so as to provide basic data for following-up care for them. METHODS: The patients were followed up one by one according to history archives between June and July, 2018, and the clue investigation was also conducted. The base data of the patients was collected through a face-to-face questionnaire survey and analyzed. RESULTS: There were still 3 160 chronic filariasis patients in Jiangsu Province. Among them, the male accounted for 40.0%, and 91.8% of the patients were older adults aged 60 years or above. From the aspect of regional distribution, Suqian (24.2%), Huai'an (19.5%), Suzhou (17.3%), Xuzhou (11.2%), and Yancheng (9.8%) were the five top high prefectures. The patients with simple lymphatic inflammation or lymphadenitis, simple lymphedema or elephantiasis, simple chyluria, simple hydrocele of tunica vaginalis, and two symptoms or more accounted for 2.7%, 37.1%, 11.2%, 0.9%, and 48.1%, respectively. For the patients with lymphedema or elephantiasis, 97.8% of edema was seen in the lower limbs, and more than 90% of the edema stages were I-III. The number of current caring sites was 220, covering 2 091 patients. The average number of times of caring activities in this year was 3.2. The average cumulative time of caring activities among all the sites was 11.3 years. CONCLUSIONS: The number of chronic filariasis patients has been dramatically decreased, most of the patients are old and have long disease durations. The caring sites have not covered all the patients. In order to release the symptoms and improve the life quality of the patients, all the patients should be taken care of in Jiangsu Province.

[Investigation of major parasitic diseases and related knowledge, attitude and practice among rural residents in Liyang City].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of major parasitic diseases and related knowledge, attitude and practice among rural residents in Liyang City, so as to provide the evidence for formulating appropriate preventive strategies and measures. METHODS: Three villages were selected from three towns as survey sites, and the residents who were above three years old and had been in the village for over six months were investigated. The Kato-Katz technique was applied to detect intestinal parasite eggs in residents' feces, and the cellophane anal swab was used to detect Enterobius vermicularis eggs among children aged 3-6 years. The iodine liquid smear and saline smear methods were used to examine intestinal protozoa cysts or trophozoites. Hookworm species were identified by the tube filter paper culture method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the information on residents' knowledge, attitude and practice of the prevention and control of major parasitic diseases. RESULTS: Totally 759 residents were investigated and tested at the three rural survey sites, and only 2 cases were detected of parasitic infection and the total infection rate was 0.26%. Both cases were mild infections without mixed infection. The total awareness rate of knowledge on ascariasis, trichuriasis and ancylostomiasis was 37.9%, while the awareness rate of knowledge on clonorchiasis was 13.8%. The age and educational level were important factors of the knowledge on prevention and control of parasitic diseases among the residents. The formation rates of washing hands before meal and after using the toilet, and never drinking unboiled water were 83.8% and 92.1%, respectively. Totally 11.6% of the residents usually ate raw or half-cooked freshwater fishes and shrimps, and 53.0% had not the behavior to prepare raw and cooked food using the different chopping boards. The proportions of residents using fresh feces as manure and working in the field with bare feet were 13.8% and 22.8% respectively. The proportions of residents who thought they could, could not, or were not sure to change the risk behaviors and habits of parasitic infections were 40.2%, 28.5% and 31.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of major parasitic diseases among the rural residents in Liyang City is low, and the awareness rate of knowledge on preventing parasitic diseases is also low. Therefore, the health education on the prevention and control of parasitic diseases should be strengthened to guide them to develop good hygiene, diet and farming habits. The environmental sanitation should be continuously improved to block the endemic of parasitic infection.

[Analysis of effect of prevention and control technique training of human important parasitic diseases in Jiangsu Province in 2017].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the prevention and control technique training of human important parasitic diseases for basic professional and technical personnel in Jiangsu Province in 2017. METHODS: A workshop including theory courses and practical operations was carried out for the basic professional and technical personnel. At the end of the workshop, the effects were evaluated through the theoretical and microscopic examinations. RESULTS: There were 132 trainees from 13 cities, and all of them took part in the final examinations. The average score of total was 118.36. There were significant differences among different regions ( χ2 = 13.38, P < 0.01). The pass rate of the theory test was 92.4% with the average score of 79.05. There were significant differences of theory scores among different regions ( χ2 =14.51, P < 0.01). The theory score of Northern Jiangsu Province was significantly higher than the scores of Southern and Central Jiangsu Province (P < 0.001, P = 0.009). The pass rate of microscopic examinations was 89.4% with the average score of 39.32. There was no significant difference of micro-scopic examination scores among different regions (F = 2.37, P = 0.09). Among the total 7 species, the detection rate of Paragonimus westermani was the highest (75％) and the rates of Schistosoma japonicum and Fasciolopsis buski were only 51.5％ and 54.5% respectively. The detection rates of eggs of Trichuris trichiura, unfertilized Ascaris lumbricoides, Clonorchis sinensis and Taenia solium were 71.2%, 65.9%, 72.7% and 72.0% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The training course has promoted the capability of prevention and control of parasitic diseases for basic technical personnel. Also it provides the technical supports for parasitic disease monitoring, control and risk assessment in the next step.

[Investigation on soil - transmitted nematode infections in national surveillance sites in Jiangsu Province from 2006 to 2015].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of soil-transmitted nematode infections in rural residents so as to provide the evidence for formulating the guidance for prevention and control of the diseases. METHODS: The national surveillance sites of soil-transmitted nematode infections were established in Shuyang County, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province from 2006 to 2015. At least 1 000 fecal samples of residents aged 3 years or above were collected in every autumn, and the intestinal helminth eggs were detected with the Kato-Katz technique and the Enterubius vermicularis eggs were detected by the cellophane tape method for children aged 3-12 years. The soil samples were collected from vegetable fields, lavatories, courtyards and kitchens to examine Ascaris lumbricoides eggs and larvae of hookworm. RESULTS: The infection rates of soil-transmitted nematodes in residents and E. vermicularis in children reduced from 1.81% (19/1 049) and 4.72% (5/106) in 2006 to 0.25% (3/1 180) and 0 (0/263) in 2015, respectively, in the surveillance sites. The infection intensity was mild in all the infected cases. The soil samples were negative for detecting A. lumbricoides eggs and hookworm larvae. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rates of soil-transmitted nematodes in the residents and E. vermicularis in the children show a decreasing trend and keep at a low level of prevalence in Shuyang County.

[Preliminary study on detection of Echinococcus granulosus DNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) on the detection of Echinococcus granulosus. METHODS: The DNAs were extracted from Echinococcus granulosus eggs and adults. According to Echinococcus mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequences and the mechanism of LAMP, 4 Echinococcus specific primers were designed and used for LAMP assay, and Bubble taenia and the blank were used as the negative control for evaluation of the specificity. The LAMP products were stained by SYBR Green I and analyzed by electrophoresis, and 1000, 100, 10, 1 eggs of Echinococcus granulosus per 200 microl were amplified by LAMP for evaluating the sensitivity. RESULTS: The LAMP products of Echinococcus granulosus adult DNA became turbid and green after staining while the products of control DNA kept clarify and brown after staining. Electrophoresis analysis showed that the LAMP products of Echinococcus granulosus eggs presented characteristic ladders, but the products of control did not. The detection limit of LAMP assay was 1 egg of Echinococcus granulosus per reaction. CONCLUSIONS: LAMP assay is a simple, sensitive and specific method for detection of hydatid disease pathogens and could be used for the disease surveillance.