Surveillance for echinococcosis in Pengyang county of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 2011–2018

  Objective  To understand the changes of the surveillance data of echinococcosis in Pengyang county of Ningxia from 2011 to 2018 and evaluate the effects of integrated control measures.

  Methods  The surveillance data of echinococcosis in population, domestic dogs, cattle and sheep in Pengyang during this period were recorded in the database. SPSS software was used for the data analysis and comparison.

  Results  During this period, a total of 38 924 people were screened, in whom 91 echinococcosis patients were found, the prevalence rate was 0.23%, and the prevalence rate decreased year by year (trend χ²=72.680, P<0.05). A total of 8 352 blood samples of children aged 6–12 years were detected, in which 420 were seropositive, the infection rate in children was 5.03%, and the infection rate decreased year by year (trend χ²=11.537, P<0.05). A total of 6 246 stool samples of domestic dogs were detected, in which 110 were positive, the infection rate in dogs was 1.76%, and the infection rate decreased year by year (trend χ²=8.729, P<0.05). The prevalence rate of cattles was 1.05%; Prevalence rate of sheep was 1.95%. The prevalence rate in cattle decreased from 2.97% (6/202) in 2011 to 0 (0/286) in 2018 (trend χ²=6.178, P<0.05); The prevalence rate in sheep decreased from 4.13% (33/799) in 2011 to 0.28% (7/722) in 2018 (trend χ²=8.612, P<0.05).

  Conclusion  The infection rate in domestic dogs and the prevalence rate in cattle and sheep significantly decreased, resulting in a lower risk of transmission of echinococcosis in human. The prevalence rate in population and the seropositive rate in children significantly decreased, indicating the effect of the project of transitional echinococcosis prevention and control.