Objective Objective To analyze the potential spatial factors affecting the genetic differentiation of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province. Methods A total of 13 administrative villages were selected from schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province as O. hupensis snail sampling sites. At least 200 snails were collected in each site, and the spatial variable data of each site were recorded, including longitude, latitude and altitude. Thirty active and Schistosoma japonicum uninfected O. hupensis snails were selected from each sampling site by means of the crawling method and the cercarial shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from O. hupensis snails. Following PCR amplification, purification of PCR amplification products and sequencing, the gene sequences of O. hupensis snail samples were spliced and edited using the DNAstar software and the NCBI database to yield the complete mitochondrial sequences of O. hupensis snails at each sampling site, and the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni was calculated at each sampling site. The geographical coordinates of each sampling site were marked using the software ArcGIS 10.2, and the straight-line geographical distance between each sampling site was calculated. The altitude difference, longitude difference and latitude difference between each sampling site were calculated using the Excel software, and the correlation between the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni and each spatial variable matrix was examined by using the Mantel test at 13 sampling sites in Yunnan Province. Results Among the 13 O. hupensis snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province, the largest mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Caizhuang Village, Midu County (26.244 2), and the largest geographical distance was seen between Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (272.64 km). The highest altitude difference was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1 086.10 m), and the largest longitude difference was found between Qiandian Village, Eryuan County and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (1.86°), while the largest latitude difference was measured between Leqiu Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1.81°). In addition, the mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was positively correlated with altitude at 13 snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province (r = 0.542 8, P < 0.001), and showed no significant correlations with geographical distance (r = 0.093 4, P > 0.05), longitude (r = −0.199 5, P > 0.05) or latitude (r = 0.205 7, P > 0.05). Conclusion Altitude may be a potential spatial factor affecting the genetic differentiation of O. hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province.

Objective To assess the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of parasitic diseases among technicians from disease control and prevention institutions. Methods The Assessment on National Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention Techniques was organized in September,2015. Together,124 subjects from disease control and prevention institutions at prov-ince,prefecture or county levels in 31 provinces joined the assessment. A database was built consisting of subjects'basic infor-mation and assessment scores. Statistical analysis was used to analyze the scores by gender,age,professional title,institutions and places of participants. Results The average total score of all the subjects was 123.3,with a passing rate of 57.3%. The av-erage scores of male subjects(48 subjects)and female subjects(76 subjects)were 125.9 and 121.7 respectively;the average scores of the subjects aged under 30 years(57 subjects),between 30 and 40 years(61 subjects)and above 40 years(6 sub-jects)were 119.6,128.1 and 111.2 respectively;the average scores of persons with junior(94 subjects),intermediate(28 sub-jects)and senior(2 subjects)professional titles were 119.2,135.9 and 140.5 respectively. The average theoretical assessment score of all the subjects was 61.9,with a passing rate of 62.9%. The average practical skill assessment score of all the subjects was 61.4,with a passing rate of 58.1%. Conclusions The theoretical assessment results range widely. The theoretical knowl-edge results of technicians from disease control and prevention institutions are low in general. Therefore ,the specific training based on daily work needs to be enhanced.

Objective To provide the reference for schistosomiasis control through analyzing the changes of endemic status of schistosomiasis in China in recent years. Methods The annual data of schistosomiasis prevention and control from 2002 to 2012 were collected, and the descriptive analysis was conducted to describe the changes of schistosomiasis endemic status. Re?sults Sichuan, Yunan and Jiangxi provinces reached the criteria of transmission controlled from 2002 to 2010 while Hubei, Hu?nan, Jiangxi and Anhui provinces reached the criteria of infection controlled in 2008. The number of counties where the trans?mission of schistosomiasis was controlled decreased from 110 in 2002 to 80 in 2010. The numbers of estimated schistosomiasis cases and reported acute cases fell from 810.4 thousands and 913 in 2002 to 325.8 thousands and 43 in 2010, respectively, and they were reduced by 59.79%and 95.40%respectively. The number of infected bovine went down from 23 199 in 2002 to 7 173 in 2010, with a fall of 69.03%. However, the Oncomelania hupensis snails breeding areas kept in 3.7 to 3.8 billion m2 and among which, 125 million m2 areas were newly discovered in non?endemic areas during the nine years. In 2010, 90%of schistosomiasis cases, acute cases, infected bovine, and snail breeding areas were concentrated in 5 provinces, especially in the Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake areas and the regions along the Yangtze River. Conclusions The epidemic of schistosomiasis decreased sig?nificantly from 2002 to 2010. The lake regions are the key and tough areas for schistosomiasis prevention and control. To consoli?date the achievements, the surveillance and case management need to be strengthened as the extension of snail breeding areas and acute cases reported from other places becomes common.