高原鼠兔生境选择的初步研究

在石渠县西区的高山草甸和高山灌丛草甸分布区采用卫星照片(1∶100000)结合样线法,在草地(雅砻江及其支流两边)每隔150m设置一个样方,其他环境则每隔100m设置一个样方,样方面积为5×5m2,记录样方所在地的海拔高度、坡度、坡向、生境位置、样方内植被的盖度、阔叶植物盖度、阔叶植物高度、灌丛盖度、土壤质地、离水源的距离以及鼠兔洞数量.共设置样方312个,样方内的高原鼠兔洞数量最多为80个,最少为0,平均为13.7±15个.统计结果显示:影响高原鼠兔生境选择的主要因子依次是生境位置、土壤质地、离水源的距离、灌丛植物盖度和阔叶植物高度.分析表明,高原鼠兔选择的最优生境为下坡位、土质松软、离水源的距离小于50m、阔叶植物高度小于等于5cm,没有灌丛的环境.

四川西部石渠地区夏季藏狐巢穴选择的生境分析

通过对四川石渠地区夏季藏狐洞穴生境选择的研究 ,以水源距离、洞口朝向、坡向、坡度、坡位、植被类型及鼠兔和鼠类洞穴等 7项指标为变量 ,运用主成分分析和聚类分析相结合的方法对收集到的 5 4个藏狐洞穴样本进行了分析。主成分分析在 4个主成分下达到 85 %的显著性。在第一主成分中水源距离、坡度和坡位是重要的影响变量 ,在另外 3个主成分中鼠类洞穴数量以及植被类型两变量也非常重要。聚类分析显示 ,5 4个洞穴样本在 3个水平上聚成 5类。藏狐易于选择草甸地带 ,中缓坡和低坡位 ,坡向多为阳坡或半阳坡 ,水源距离小于5 0 0m的地方筑巢 ,其穴口朝向多位于 135°～ 36 0°之间。此外 ,鼠兔和鼠类洞穴在藏狐洞穴样方内的出现 ,但数量变异较大 ,揭示小型哺乳动物和藏狐之间可能存在着复杂的相互关系。通过对四川石渠地区夏季藏狐洞穴生境选择的研究 ,以水源距离、洞口朝向、坡向、坡度、坡位、植被类型及鼠兔和鼠类洞穴等 7项指标为变量 ,运用主成分分析和聚类分析相结合的方法对收集到的 5 4个藏狐洞穴样本进行了分析。主成分分析在 4个主成分下达到 85 %的显著性。在第一主成分中水源距离、坡度和坡位是重要的影响变量 ,在另外 3个主成分中鼠类洞穴数量以及植被类型两变量也非常重要。聚类分析显示 ,5

包虫病手术患者1312例流行病学资料分析

目的了解青藏高原包虫病的分布特点。方法对1992-2006年的1312例包虫病手术患者的相关资料进行分析。结果囊型和泡型包虫病均有分布。患者主要集中于21～50岁,20岁以下的患者相对较少,以藏族为主。囊型包虫病分布于四川省甘孜州和阿坝州的17个县以及青海省果洛州的5个县,而泡型包虫病同时分布于其中的大部分地区。结论囊型和泡型包虫病同时流行于四川省的西北部和青海省的东南部。

中国中部寄生虫病的景观控制(英文)

多房棘球绦虫(Echinococcus multilocularis)的幼虫期导致罕见而致命的肝病即人类的泡型包虫病(HAE)。绦虫在狐狸(或狗类)与一些小型哺乳类动物之间以寄生虫-寄主的方式进行循环传播。中国中部一些地区的人类泡型包虫病属于地方流行病,在部分乡村的发生概率达到15%。本文研究如何利用遥感数据并基于地区景观特性获取该流行病清晰地空间危害分布图。遥感数据分析的结果显示,人类居住地附近的草地或灌木是HAE传播的一个主要危险区域,从空间分布上看,这些区域是小型哺乳动物等中间寄主的聚集处。

Review of risk factors for human echinococcosis prevalence on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China: a prospective for control options

Objective: Echinococcosis is a major parasitic zoonosis of public health importance in western China. In 2004, the Chinese Ministry of Health estimated that 380,000 people had the disease in the region. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is highly co-endemic with both alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE). In the past years, the Chinese government has been increasing the financial support to control the diseases in this region. Therefore, it is very important to identify the significant risk factors of the diseases by reviewing studies done in the region in the past decade to help policymakers design appropriate control strategies. Review: Selection criteria for which literature to review were firstly defined. Medline, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Google Scholar were systematically searched for literature published between January 2000 and July 2011. Significant risk factors found by single factor and/or multiple factors analysis were listed, counted, and summarized. Literature was examined to check the comparability of the data;age and sex specific prevalence with same data structures were merged and used for further analysis. A variety of assumed social, economical, behavioral, and ecological risk factors were studied on the Plateau. Those most at risk were Tibetan herdsmen, the old and female in particular. By analyzing merged comparable data, it was found that females had a significant higher prevalence, and a positive linearity relationship existed between echinococcosis prevalence and increasing age. In terms of behavioral risk factors, playing with dogs was mostly correlated with CE and/or AE prevalence. In terms of hygiene, employing ground water as the drinking water source was significantly correlated with CE and AE prevalence. For definitive hosts, dog related factors were most frequently identified with prevalence of CE or/and AE;fox was a potential risk factor for AE prevalence only. Overgrazing and deforestation were significant for AE prevalence only. Conclusion: Tibetan herdsmen communities were at the highest risk of echinococcosis prevalence and should be the focus of echinococcosis control. Deworming both owned and stray dogs should be a major measure for controlling echinococcosis;treatment of wild definitive hosts should also be considered for AE endemic areas. Health education activities should be in concert with the local people's education backgrounds and languages in order to be able to improve behaviors. Further researches are needed to clarify the importance of wild hosts for AE/CE prevalence, the extent and range of the impacts of ecologic changes (overgrazing and deforestation) on the AE prevalence, and risk factors in Tibet.

Impact of overgrazing on the transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis in Tibetan pastoral communities of Sichuan Province,China

Background Overgrazing was assumed to increase the population density of small mammals that are the intermediate hosts of Echinococcus multilocularis, the pathogen of alveolar echinococcosis in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. This research tested the hypothesis that overgrazing might promote Echinococcus multilocularis transmission through increasing populations of small mammal, intermediate hosts in Tibetan pastoral communities. Methods Grazing practices, small mammal indices and dog Echinococcus multilocularis infection data were collected to analyze the relation between overgrazing and Echinococcus multilocularis transmission using nonparametric tests and multiple stepwise logistic regression. Results In the investigated area, raising livestock was a key industry. The communal pastures existed and the available forage was deficient for grazing. Open （common） pastures were overgrazed and had higher burrow density of small mammals compared with neighboring fenced （private） pastures; this high overgrazing pressure on the open pastures measured by neighboring fenced area led to higher burrow density of small mammals in open pastures. The median burrow density of small mammals in open pastures was independently associated with nearby canine Echinococcus multilocularis infection （P=-0.003, OR=1.048）. Conclusion Overgrazing may promote the transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis through increasing the population density of small mammals.

The landscape epidemiology of echinococcoses

Echinococcoses are parasitic diseases of major public health importance globally.Human infection results in chronic disease with poor prognosis and serious medical,social and economic consequences for vulnerable populations.According to recent estimates,the geographical distribution of Echinococcus spp.infections is expanding and becoming an emerging and re-emerging problem in several regions of the world.Echinococcosis endemicity is geographically heterogeneous and over time it may be affected by global environmental change.Therefore,landscape epidemiology offers a unique opportunity to quantify and predict the ecological risk of infection at multiple spatial and temporal scales.Here,we review the most relevant environmental sources of spatial variation in human echinococcosis risk,and describe the potential applications of landscape epidemiological studies to characterise the current patterns of parasite transmission across natural and human-altered landscapes.We advocate future work promoting the use of this approach as a support tool for decision-making that facilitates the design,implementation and monitoring of spatially targeted interventions to reduce the burden of human echinococcoses in disease-endemic areas.

Grass height and transmission ecology of Echinococcus multilocularis in Tibetan communities, China

Background Alveolar echinococcosis is a major zoonosis of public health significance in western China. Overgrazing was recently assumed as a potential risk factor for transmission of alveolar echinococcosis. The research was designed to further test the overgrazing hypothesis by investigating how overgrazing influenced the burrow density of intermediate host small mammals and how the burrow density of small mammals was associated with dog Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Methods The study sites were chosen by previous studies which found areas where the alveolar echinococcosis was prevalent. The data, including grass height, burrow density of intermediate host small mammals, dog and fox fecal samples as well as Global Positioning System （GPS） position, were collected from field investigations in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, China. The fecal samples were analyzed using copro-PCR. The worms, teeth, bones and hairs in the fecal samples were visually examined. Single factor and multifactor analyses tools including chi square and generalized linear models were applied to these data. Results By using grass height as a proxy of grazing grass in the pasture led to lower small mammals＇ pressure in the homogenous pasture, this study found that taller burrow density （X2=4.670, P=0.031, coefficient=-1.570）. The Echinococcus multilocularis worm burden in dogs was statistically significantly related to the maximum density of the intermediate host Ochotona spp. （X2=5.250, P=-0.022, coefficient=0.028）. The prevalence in owned dogs was positively correlated to the number of stray dogs seen within a 200 meter radius （Wald X2=8.375, P=-0.004, odds ratio=1.198）. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that overgrazing promotes transmission of alveolar echinococcosis and confirm the role of stray dogs in the transmission of alveolar echinococcosis.

Seasonal pattern of Echinococcus re-infection in owned dogs in Tibetan communities of Sichuan, China and its implications for control

Background:Human cystic echinococcosis(CE)and alveolar echinococcosis(AE)are highly endemic in Tibetan communities of Sichuan Province.Previous research in the region indicated that domestic dog was the major source of human infection,and observations indicated that domestic dog could have more access to intermediate hosts of Echinococcus spp.:both domestic livestock(CE)viscera and small mammals(AE),in early winter and again in spring.We hypothesized that there would therefore be a significant increase in the risk of canine infection with Echinococcus spp.in these two seasons and conducted a reinfection study to investigate this further.Methods:Faecal samples were collected from owned dogs in seven townships in Ganze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture(Sichuan Province,China),and Echinococcus spp.infection status was determined using copro-antigen ELISA.Dogs were sampled in April(spring),July(early summer),September/October(autumn/early winter)and December(winter)in 2009;and in April(spring)2010.Dogs were treated with praziquantel following each of the five sample collections to eliminate any tapeworms.Information on dog sex,age and body weight was also collected.The t-test,Fisher’s exact test,Poisson regression and logistic regression were used to compare means and prevalences,and to identify factors associated with infection status.Results:The proportion of female dogs was significantly lower than that of male dogs;female dogs had significantly higher(22.78%)baseline copro-ELISA prevalence than males(11.88%).Dog body weight,sex,age,county and previous infection status at any sampling point had no influence on the re-infection prevalence in general.Poisson regression did not found a significant influence on the re-infection prevalence due to different deworming/sampling time spans.Dogs exhibited significantly higher re-infection prevalences in spring and early summer of 2009 and in early winter between September/October and December of 2009,suggesting a higher infection pressure in these seasons comparing with other seasons.Conclusion:Following praziquantel treatment,dog body weight,sex,age,county,deworming time span and previous infection status at any sampling point had no influence on the re-infection prevalence in the region in general.The differences between re-infection prevalences were probably due to the seasonality in Echinoccocus spp.infection pressure in the region.Early winter,spring and early summer should be important seasons for optimal dog deworming intervention in these Tibetan communities.

Priorities for research and control of cestode zoonoses in Asia

Globally,cestode zoonoses cause serious public health problems,particularly in Asia.Among all neglected zoonotic diseases,cestode zoonoses account for over 75%of global disability adjusted life years(DALYs)lost.An international symposium on cestode zoonoses research and control was held in Shanghai,China between 28th and 30th October 2012 in order to establish joint efforts to study and research effective approaches to control these zoonoses.It brought together 96 scientists from the Asian region and beyond to exchange ideas,report on progress,make a gap analysis,and distill prioritizing settings with a focus on the Asian region.Key objectives of this international symposium were to agree on solutions to accelerate progress towards decreasing transmission,and human mortality and morbidity caused by the three major cestode zoonoses(cystic echinococcosis,alveolar echinococcosis,and cysticercosis);to critically assess the potential to control these diseases;to establish a research and validation agenda on existing and new approaches;and to report on novel tools for the study and control of cestode zoonoses.

A historical view of alveolar echinococcosis, 160 years after the discovery of the first case in humans： part 1. What have we learnt on the distribution of the disease and on its parasitic agent？

Since the first 2 cases observed in southern Germany and the correct identification of a parasite at the origin of the disease by the famous scientist Rudolf Virchow in 1855, the borders of the endemic area of alveolar echinococcosis （AE） have never stopped to expand. The parasite was successively recognized in Switzerland, then in Russia, Austria and France which were long considered as the only endemic areas for the disease. Cases were disclosed in Turkey in 1939; then much attention was paid to Alaska and to Hokkaido, in Japan. The situation totally changed in 1991 after the recognition of the Chinese endemic areas by the international community of scientists. The world map was completed in the beginning of the 21st century by the identification of AE in most of the countries of central/eastern Europe and Baltic States, and by the recognition of cases in central Asia. Up to now, the disease has however never been reported in the South hemisphere and in the United Kingdom. In the mid-1950s, demonstration by Rausch and Schiller in Alaska, and by Vogel in Germany, of the distinction between 2 parasite species responsible respectively for cystic echinococcosis （＂hydatid disease＂） and AE put an end to the long-lasting debate between the ＂dualists＂, who believed in that theory which eventually proved to be true, and the ＂unicists＂, who believed in a single species responsible for both diseases. At the end of the 20th century, molecular biology fully confirmed the ＂dualist＂ theory while adding several new species to the initially described E. granulosus; within the past decade, it also confirmed that little variation existed within Echinococcus （E.） multilocularis species, and that AE-Iooking infection in some intermediate animal hosts on the Tibetan plateau was indeed due to a new species, distinct from E. multilocularis, named E. shiquicus. Since the 1970s, the unique ecological interactions between the landscape, the hosts, and E. multilocularis have progressively been delineated. The important role of the rodent/lagomorph reservoir size for the maintenance of the parasite cycle has been recognized within the last 2 decades of the 20th century. And the discovery of a close relationship between high densities of small mammals and particularities in land use by agriculture/forestry has stressed the responsibility of political/economic decisions on the contamination pressure. Urbanization of foxes in Europe and Japan and the major role of dogs in China represent the new deals at the beginning of the 21 st century regarding definitive hosts and prevention measures.