Comparative analysis of knowledge on schistosomiasis japonica in the local people in the former endemic area in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan: comparisons among the background of age and occupation.

Eradication of schistosomiasis japonica in Yamanashi Prefecture was officially declared in 1996, and all surveillance and health campaign were finished by the end of 2001. Schistosomiasis control had been carried out by strong collaboration among local Government, local people and academia, thought which knowledge and experiences of the disease control were accumulated among the local people. It is 20th anniversary of the disease eradication in Yamanashi. We planned to analyze the current situation whether the local people still keep the knowledge of schistosomiasis or not. There was no more knowledge kept in the middle school students, to whom the local Government did not educate about schistosomiasis. Among adult individuals, elderly people who have experienced endemic condition still know about it at almost comparable level as in the past. However, younger people who learned it in the primary school but no experience of the disease transmission started losing the knowledge. Those situations of the adult local people were compared with the veterinarian group. It was confirmed that the veterinarian group had correct and proper knowledge of schistosomiasis japonica not only in elderly groups, but also in younger age group. Considering that methods for control and prevention of infectious diseases are common to some extent, their knowledge and experiences would be applicable for other infectious diseases in future. Therefore, the knowledge would be worth keeping in the local people. Taken together, individuals with specialty, such as veterinarians, are expected to play roles in public health for promotion of health and welfare.

Historical view of schistosomiasis japonica in Japan: implementation and evaluation of disease-control strategies in Yamanashi Prefecture.

We summarized historical aspects of disease control activities targeting schistosomiasis japonica in Kofu basin, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Kofu Basin was one of the biggest endemic foci of schistosomiasis japonica in Japan, and the last place where transmission of Schistosoma japonicum was confirmed in Japan. Because of the most severe endemic situations in Yamanashi, intensive control measures had been implemented by the central as well as the local government. The last human case in Japan was in 1977, which is just before praziquantel being available. Therefore, the main efforts were focused on snail control. Mass examination and mass chemotherapy were implemented, however, the compliance was not so good because of the severe side effects due to the available therapeutics, Stibnal. Along with socioeconomic development after World War II, big changes in land use, life style, and farming led drastic reduction in the disease prevalence in Kofu Basin in the 1960s. A large amount of budget was also used for disease control. Cementing water canals covered more than 95% of paddy fields in Kofu Basin, and this resulted in ecological changes. After elimination of schistosomiasis, environmental repair is the urgent subject in Kofu Basin. Our experiences in Yamanashi contain both good influences and also a lot of reflection. It is important to evaluate each activity in our history before we give intensive cooperation with countries where endemic foci is still present.

Sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with urine samples: a tool for surveillance of schistosomiasis japonica.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies to Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigens (SEA) in un-concentrated urine was developed. The urine ELISA was applied to samples collected in a schistosomiasis-endemic village in China. The levels of anti-SEA antibodies detected in urine correlated well with those obtained with paired serum samples (r = 0.694, p<0.0001). Among 129 serum ELISA positives, 112 (86.8%) were positive by urine ELISA, while all 40 serum ELISA negatives from a non-endemic area were negative. The levels of anti-SEA in urine samples were stable up to 8 weeks of storage at 37 degrees C, with sodium azide as a preservative. Therefore, ELISA with urine samples can be used for the surveillance of schistosomiasis.