Objective To evaluate the effect on schistosomiasis control by implementing the synthetic measures with emphasis on infection source control.Methods Ten higher endemic villages in 10 counties were chosen to implement the measures of " replacing cattle with machines", "rearing domestic animals in pens", "safely treating night-soil or building methane-generating pits".In these villages, all cattle should be eliminated, other livestock be reared in pens, and all households be supplied with sanitary lavatories that could safely treat night-soil, or with methane-generating pits, and safe water. Results After 1 year of implementing the project, the number of cattle, sheep, pigs and dogs in 10 villages reduced by 92.7%,70.8%,14.3% and 20.2%, respectively, 76.0% of households had sanitary lavatories or methane-generating pits, 75.9% of households had safe water supply, all the remaining pigs were reared in pens, and the schistosome infection rate of residents reduced by 75.8%, the infection rate of cattle reduced by 79.8%, the density of infected snails reduced by 75.0% and the infection rate of snails reduced by 60.0%, respectively. Conclusion The synthetic measures with emphasis on infection source control are effective in schistosomiasis control.

According to the requirement of the national assessment for achieving the infection control criteria, 42 villages (among them,25 villages belonged to the first stratum, and 17 villages belonged to the second stratum) in 14 counties from 5 provinces, including Hunnan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui and Yunnan, were selected as sampling villages for the assessment.The results from the field assessment showed that 154 out of 9 067 people were found infected with Sckistosoma japonicum, with an average infection rate of 1.7% ranged from 0.31 % to 4.10% , and only Yongping Village from Weishan County and Tenglong Village from Eryuan County were not found any case. A total of 46 out of 3 323 head of cattle were infected with S. japonicum, with an average infection rate of 1.38% ranged from 0.26% to 3.79% , and no any infected individual detected in Nanling County. No outbreak occurred in those sampling villages. Therefore, it is indicated that the five sampling provinces have reached the national criteria on infection control of schistosomiasis.