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Ascaris, people and pigs in a rural community of Jiangxi Province, China*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Peng Weidong ,
Zhou Xianmin ,
Cui Xiaomin ,
D. W. T. Crompton ,
R. R. Whitehead ,
Xiong Jiangqin ,
Wu Haigeng ,
Peng Jiyuan ,
Yang Yang  and
Wu Weixing
...Show all authors
Peng Weidong
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang 330006, P. R., China
Zhou Xianmin
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang 330006, P. R., China
Cui Xiaomin
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang 330006, P. R., China
D. W. T. Crompton*
Affiliation:
WHO Collaborating Centre for Soil-transmitted Helminthiases, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
R. R. Whitehead
Affiliation:
WHO Collaborating Centre for Soil-transmitted Helminthiases, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
Xiong Jiangqin
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
Wu Haigeng
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
Peng Jiyuan
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, Nanchang Educational College, Nanchang 330008, P.R., China
Yang Yang
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
Wu Weixing
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
Xu Kaiwu
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
Yan Yongxing
Affiliation:
Nanchang Hospital of the Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Nanchang 330003, P.R., China
*
† Corresponding author: WHO Collaborating Centre for Soil-transmitted Helminthiases, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK. Tel: + 44 141 330 5395. Fax: + 44 141 330 5971. E-mail: gbza43@udcf.gla.ac.uk.
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Summary

A longitudinal investigation on natural populations of Ascaris in humans and pigs and an investigation of soil contamination with Ascaris eggs were carried out from June 1993 to June 1994 in 2 villages, Manhu area, Xinjian County, Jiangxi Province, China. Results from these studies indicate that although human ascariasis is endemic there is significant fluctuation in both prevalence and the mean number of eggs/g faeces (epg) of the communities. Fluctuation of age-stratified prevalence and mean epg was detected in children but not in most adult groups. Most cases of human ascariasis were judged to involve low intensities of infection and a typical overdispersion distribution pattern was observed through the year. It was estimated that during the year, nearly half of the eggs discharged in the environment came from infections in children aged between 2 and 15 years which accounted for about 30% of the total population. Soil in and around houses and in vegetable gardens was found to be contaminated by Ascaris eggs and this situation remained relatively stable throughout the year. Monthly developmental rate of Ascaris eggs in soil was detected and the results suggest that the fluctuation in prevalence observed during the year should be directly attributed to the effect of seasonality of egg development. Features of Ascaris infection in pigs were found to be similar to those in humans except for a lower mean intensity of infection. The possibility of cross-infection of Ascaris between human and pig hosts is discussed.

Keywords

Ascaris lumbricoidesAscaris suumsoilpigChina
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 113 , Issue 6 , December 1996 , pp. 545 - 557
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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Footnotes

*

The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) and the International Collaboration Bureau of the NNSFC.

References

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