Schistosomiasis elimination has been set as a target in the Neglected Tropical Disease Roadmap of 2021 to 2030. The present study assessed the level of understanding, awareness and behaviors of schistosomiasis among students in Zanzibar and explored the influencing factors as the basis for reliable suggestions for the follow-up policy on schistosomiasis prevention and control. A Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey on students’ perceptions of schistosomiasis was conducted on students from grades 4–9 at two selected schools on Pemba, Zanzibar, from May through September in 2021. A total of 217 valid participants responded to the questionnaires. T-test and chi-squared tests were used to examine the association between the dependent and explanatory variables. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the influencing factors of KAP. The findings indicated a lack of knowledge about schistosomiasis among the participants. Although respondents were aware of the risks of infection, they continued to engage in high-risk activities. Age, family size and presence of hematuria were found as contributing factors. Elder students performed better on knowledge (p = 0.02) and attitude (p < 0.01) scores, and students with a smaller family received higher attitude scores (p = 0.04). Practice was significantly correlated with gender (p < 0.01) and hematuria (p < 0.01). Several kinds of health education should be adopted to raise students’ basic knowledge of schistosomiasis. It is also critical to make the community aware regarding schistosomiasis. Future efforts for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis should employ an integrated strategy combining communities with schools to encourage behavioral change.

目的 研究自动注药滴渗灭螺装置技术,为特殊环境钉螺控制提供灭螺新方法.方法 利用滴灌技术,采用输水增压、连续注药方法,研发自动注药滴渗灭螺装置,评估该方法的灭螺效果及成本投入,采用Excel 2016软件进行数据汇总,用SPSS 16.0统计软件对钉螺死亡率、钉螺校正死亡率进行x2检验分析.结果 自动注药滴渗灭螺装置包括增压输水、过滤净化、自动注药和滴渗管网4大系统,其中增压泵的额定功率为4 kW,过滤器耐受压力为800 kPa,滴渗管单孔流量为2L/h.滴渗管间距2、1 m组和喷洒对照组,施药7 d后,钉螺校正死亡率分别为67.08％、75.71％和66.22％,以滴渗管间距1 m组为最高,差异有统计学意义(x2=8.809,P=0.012);施药15 d后,钉螺校正死亡率分别为75.15％、79.27％和78.34％,差异无统计学意义(x2=1.369,P=0.504);施药30 d后,3组环境活螺密度下降率分别为80.78％、83.81％和80.63％.一套滴渗灭螺装置设备总投入为9 805元,其中移动设备和固定管网费用分别占68.33％和31.67％.以滴渗管网使用10年为限,每年灭螺管网设备费用消耗为0.16元/m2.结论 自动注药滴渗灭螺技术是省工、高效、实用的灭螺方法,滴渗管网间距以1 m为宜.

采用案例分析的方法,以取得良好项目效果和社会效应的中国援助桑给巴尔血吸虫病防治技术项目为例,总结具体的项目模式,分析项目的成效与经验,提出中国公共卫生援外工作的建议与思路.

目的 初步探讨在桑给巴尔血吸虫病流行区采用养殖番鸭捕食水泡螺进行生态灭螺的效果.方法 选择中国援桑给巴尔血吸虫病防治技术合作项目组在奔巴岛实验基地的菜园作为实验观察区,饲养2只番鸭.设置实验组和对照组,对照组周围设置栅栏隔开以阻止番鸭进入.于第10、20、30、40天,采取全面细查法调查水泡螺成螺及子代螺数量,并计算成螺存活率.通过直接观察法,观察番鸭捕食水泡螺的行为.结果 第10、20、30、40天实验组水泡螺成螺存活率均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(χ2=7.566、20.671、18.039、19.200,P均<0.05);实验组水泡螺子代螺数量为13～60只,低于对照组的320～963只.番鸭在嘴部滤水或吞食蔬菜时,可利用喙部碾碎或直接吞食成年水泡螺;子代水泡螺由于体型极小,更易被吞食.结论 养殖番鸭可以抑制水泡螺生长繁殖,提示可用于生态灭螺.

Background: Schistosomiasis is an immunopathogenic disease in which Th17 cells play vital roles. Hepatic granuloma formation and subsequent fibrosis are its main pathologic manifestations and the leading causes of hepatic cirrhosis, and effective therapeutic interventions are lacking. In this study, we explored the effects of fasudil, a selective RhoA–Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, on Th17 cells and the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis. Methods: Mice were infected with Schistosoma japonicum and treated with fasudil. The worm burden, hepatic granuloma formation, and fibrosis were evaluated. The roles of fasudil on Th17, Treg, and hepatic stellate cells were analyzed. Results: Fasudil therapy markedly reduced the granuloma size and collagen deposit in livers from mice infected with S. japonicum. However, fasudil therapy did not affect the worm burden in infected mice. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms were investigated. Fasudil suppressed the activation and induced the apoptosis of CD4+ T cells. Fasudil inhibited the differentiation and effector cytokine secretion of Th17 cells, whereas it upregulated Treg cells in vitro. It also restrained the in vivo interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17 levels in infected mice. Fasudil directly induced the apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells and downregulated the expressions of hepatic fibrogenic genes, such as collagen type I (Col-I), Col-III, and transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-β1). These effects may contribute to its anti-pathogenic roles in schistosomiasis. Conclusions: Fasudil inhibits hepatic granuloma formation and fibrosis with downregulation of Th17 cells. Fasudil might serve as a novel therapeutic agent for hepatic fibrosis due to schistosome infections and perhaps other disorders.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect and cost-effectiveness of three commonly used molluscicides, 4% "Luo-wei" (tea-seed distilled saponins, TDS), 50% niclosamide ethanolamine salt wettable powder (NESWP), and 26% metaldehyde and niclosamide suspension concentrate (MNSC) in large-scale field application, so as to provide the references for formulating the strategy of snail control.METHODS:The field test and parallel comparison were implemented. A marshland with Oncomelania hupensis snails of the Yangtze River was divided into 4 parts (10 hm2) for the research, and three of them were experimental areas while the last one was a blank control area. The experimental areas were sprayed with 4% "Luo-wei", 50% NESWP and 26% MNSC respectively for 3 times and the interval was 1 week. Seven days after each spraying the effect of snail control was investigated, and the costs of molluscicides, labor, transportation, fuel consumption and mechanical loss were recorded. The cost of each molluscicide, snail mortality, snail density, and the cost of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were analyzed and compared.RESULTS:After the first, second and third spraying, the corrected snail mortality rates were 67.34%, 76.55% and 84.60% respectively in the 4% "Luo-wei" group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 64.71%, 75.17% and 83.89% respectively in the 50% NESWP group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 66.55%, 76.27% and 86.67% respectively in the 26% MNSC group. There was no significant difference among the 3 groups in the snail mortality at the same spraying time (χ2 = 1.590, 0.571, 3.238, all P > 0.05) . In addition, along with the increase of the spraying times, the snail mortality of each group was increased significantly compared to that of the control group (χ2 = 79.333, 94.718, 117.020, all P < 0.01) . After the first, second and third spraying, the reduction rates of snail density were 69.82%-86.60% in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 68.66%-86.55% in the 50% NESWP group, and 71.89%-88.87% in the 26% MNSC group respectively. The decreasing amplitude of the snail density was more than 85% in all the experimental areas after 3 rounds of spraying molluscicide. The snail control costs per 100 hm2 were 19.57, 11.97 Yuan and 10.47 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 50% NESWP group, and 26% MNSC group respectively. After the first, second and third spraying, the costs of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were 0.30, 2.08 Yuan and 2.38 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 0.20, 1.10 Yuan and 1.32 Yuan in the 50% NESWP group, and 0.17, 1.04 Yuan and 0.97 Yuan in the 26% MNSC group respectively, and the cost-effectiveness was the highest at the first spraying in all the three groups.CONCLUSIONS:The effects of the three molluscicides for snail control are similar, but the efficacy of snail control is reduced as the spraying time increases.