Background:Snail-borne parasitic diseases,such as angiostrongyliasis,clonorchiasis,fascioliasis,fasciolopsiasis,opisthorchiasis,paragonimiasis and schistosomiasis,pose risks to human health and cause major socioeconomic problems in many tropical and sub-tropical countries.In this review we summarize the core roles of snails in the life cycles of the parasites they host,their clinical manifestations and disease distributions,as well as snail control methods.Main body:Snails have four roles in the life cycles of the parasites they host:as an intermediate host infected by the first-stage larvae,as the only intermediate host infected by miracidia,as the first intermediate host that ingests the parasite eggs are ingested,and as the first intermediate host penetrated by miracidia with or without the second intermediate host being an aquatic animal.Snail-borne parasitic diseases target many organs,such as the lungs,liver,biliary tract,intestines,brain and kidneys,leading to overactive immune responses,cancers,organ failure,infertility and even death.Developing countries in Africa,Asia and Latin America have the highest incidences of these diseases,while some endemic parasites have developed into worldwide epidemics through the global spread of snails.Physical,chemical and biological methods have been introduced to control the host snail populations to prevent disease.Conclusions:In this review,we summarize the roles of snails in the life cycles of the parasites they host,the worldwide distribution of parasite-transmitting snails,the epidemiology and pathogenesis of snail-transmitted parasitic diseases,and the existing snail control measures,which will contribute to further understanding the snail-parasite relationship and new strategies for controlling snail-borne parasitic diseases.
Objective:Foodborne parasitic diseases,although with a declining overall incidence rate,are still endangering local public safety.This review aims to describe the current situation and epidemiological trends of foodborne parasitic diseases in China in order to explore possible reasons contributors to its high prevalence in some areas,and propose strategies for prevention and control accordingly.Methods:A scoping review was conducted by searching Pub Med,CNKI,Wanfang,CQVIP,Embase,and the Cochrane Library using search formula"foodborne parasitic diseases(or foodborne parasites)"AND"China".Studies on foodborne parasitic diseases in China were considered,but only articles in English or Chinese published between January 1980 and June 2020 were retrieved.Included studies were screened according to the eligibility criteria:1)diseases consistent with the WHO definition of foodborne parasitic diseases;2)the food carriers were included in the WHO food classification;3)data related to epidemiology,pathogenicity,and prevention and control;4)Foodborne parasitic diseases cases or outbreaks in China.Results:A total of 111 out of 665 records were included and summarized.The prevalence of clonorchiasis,angiostrongyliasis,echinococcosis,trichinellosis and cysticercosis was still increasing although the infection rate of soil-transmitted nematodes has substantially decreased in recent years.Diverse eating habits,close contact with animals,and urbanization were contributing factors to the increase.Conclusions:Foodborne parasitic diseases remain an important public health issue in China with the progress of economic globalization and food diversification.We should manage to raise public awareness about the prevention and control of foodborne parasitic diseases,improve health and safety inspections,as well as public health practice.
Objective:To examine the effects of coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19)exposure,expressive suppression/cognitive reappraisal,and demographic variables on post-traumatic stress symptoms(PTS)among Chinese.Methods:Participants were recruited by social media through We Chat and 6049 Chinese(aged from 17 to 63 years;median=24)from 31 provinces were included in the study.PTS symptoms,expressive suppression,and cognitive reappraisal were assessed after the outbreak of COVID-19.A regression mixture analysis was conducted in Mplus 7.Results:A regression mixture model identified three latent classes that were primarily distinguished by differential effects of COVID-19 exposures on PTS symptoms:(1)Class 1(mildly PTS symptoms,80.9%),(2)Class 2(moderate PTS symptoms,13.0%),and(3)Class 3(high PTS symptoms,6.1%).The results demonstrated that the young,women and people with responsibilities and concerns for others were more vulnerable to PTS symptoms;and they had more expression inhibition and less cognitive reappraisal in three latent classes.Conclusions:The findings suggest that more attention needs to be paid to vulnerable groups such as the young,women and people with responsibilities and concerns for others.Therapies to encourage emotional expression and increase cognitive reappraisal may also be helpful for trauma survivors.
Background:The invasive alien species may lead to great environmental and economic crisis due to its strong capability of occupying the biological niche of native species and altering the ecosystem of the invaded area.However,its potential to serve as the vectors of some specific zoonotic pathogens,especially parasites,has been neglected.Thus,the damage that it may cause has been hugely underestimated in this aspect,which is actually an important public health problem.This paper aims to discuss the current status of zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species in China.Main body:This review summarizes the reported zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species in China based on the Database of Invasive Alien Species in China.We summarize their prevalence,threat to human health,related reported cases,and the roles of invasive alien species in the life cycle of these parasites,and the invasion history of some invasive alien species.Furthermore,we sum up the current state of prevention and control of invasive alien species in China,and discuss about the urgency and several feasible strategies for the prevention and control of these zoonoses under the background of booming international communications and inevitable globalization.Conclusions:Information of the zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species neither in China or worldwide,especially related case reports,is limited due to a long-time neglection and lack of monitoring.The underestimation of their damage requires more attention to the monitoring and control and compulsory measures should be taken to control the invasive alien species carrying zoonotic parasites.