Investigation of association between female genital tract diseases and Schistosomiasis japonica infection
Introduction
Female genital tract diseases are mainly seen in connection with schistosomiasis haematobia and mansoni, and less frequently linked with schistosomiasis japonica. An infant infected with schistosomiasis japonica through placenta was first reported in 1914 (Narabayashi, 1914). After that, there were some case reports indicating an association between female genital tract diseases and schistosomiasis japonica, as for example enlargement of uterus, fallopian tube and ovarian cyst (Ching-Chien, 1951, Carpenter et al., 1964). However, there is a need to verify these claims. So an investigation was carried out in Panao Township of Meishan County in Sichuan Province in 1996 to ascertain whether any association between female genital tract diseases and schistosomiasis japonica could be established.
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General information on experimental area
Panao Township of Meishan County is located in the mid-west of the plain of Sichuan. In the past, the cumulative area of snail habitats has reached more than 5.09 million m2 at its highest. The highest human infection rate was 30.4%. In 1989 when 11 villages were sampled, seven had a human infection rate of ≥15% with the highest at 34.3%. During recent years, due to snail control in large areas and mass chemotherapy with praziquantel once a year, the human infection rate has decreased to about
Findings from gynecological examinations
Two hundred and forty four women with schistosomiasis japonica and 236 healthy women actually took part in this research. The average age of the sample population was 32 years with average body weight of 50 kg and average menarche at 15. Their mean age of marriage was 21. There were significant differences between the experiment group and the control group for the height, bleeding period and weight of the first new-born (Table 1).
Four hundred and ten cervical smears were eligible for
Discussion
Previously, no systematic investigation of female genital tract diseases due to schistosomiasis japonica in a community had ever been conducted. In 1996, we conducted a case-control study of female genital tract diseases and its association with schistosomiasis japonica in a township where schistosomiasis infection rate for married women aged between 18 and 50 was about 15%. A total of 480 women (244 women with schistosomiasis japonica infection and 236 healthy women) were studied.
This research
Acknowledgements
The study was supported by funding from UNDP/World Bank/WHO/TDR. We are indebted to Dr. Xu Kehui, Dr. Zhou Chuntao, Dr Zhen Yun and Yi Haiyan of Second University Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Province. Special thanks go to Professor M.Tanner for his kind help and cooperation.
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Present address: Southeast Asia HIV and Development Project, UNDP, Bangkok, Thailand.