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Aspects of parasitology in the People's Republic of China: surveillance, diagnosis, infection and immunity

Global elimination programs have been launched for several parasitic diseases leading to a stronger role for surveillance and the development of specific tools, including diagnostics, vaccines, etc. To cope with the new challenges, the Chinese Science and Technology Major Program, launched in 2005, recently awarded support (Grant No. 2008ZX10004-011) for a research project entitled Surveillance and diagnostic tools for major parasitic diseases in PR China in collaboration with more than 80 scientists from 18 institutes and universities, coordinated by Professor Xiao-Nong Zhou and Professor Heng Wang. The majority of articles in this thematic series were funded by this program.

Collection edited by: Dr Robert Bergquist, Prof Marcel Tanner, Prof Juerg Utzinger, Dr. Xiao-Nong Zhou.

Collection published: 10 June 2011

View all collections published in Parasites & Vectors

  1. Control and eventual elimination of human parasitic diseases in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) requires novel approaches, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, mathematical modelling, monitori...

    Authors: Jun-Hu Chen, Hen Wang, Jia-Xu Chen, Robert Bergquist, Marcel Tanner, Jürg Utzinger and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:221
    Content type: Review Published on:

  2. Both falciparum and vivax malaria were historically prevalent in China with high incidence. With the control efforts, the annual incidence in the whole country has reduced to 0.0001% except in some areas in th...

    Authors: Jia-Yun Pan, Shui-Sen Zhou, Xiang Zheng, Fang Huang, Duo-Quan Wang, Yu-Zu Shen, Yun-Pu Su, Guang-Chao Zhou, Feng Liu and Jing-Jing Jiang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:136
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  3. Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. The disease remains a serious public health problem in endemic countries and affects at least 207 million people worldw...

    Authors: Yan Lu, Bin Xu, Chuan Ju, Xiaojin Mo, Shenbo Chen, Zheng Feng, Xiaoning Wang and Wei Hu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:115
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Malaria re-emerged in the Huang-Huai Plain of central China during 2006–2008, dominated with Anopheles sinensis as a vector. However, there is no information on strategies based on multi-factor analysis to effect...

    Authors: Shui-sen Zhou, Shao-sen Zhang, Jian-jun Wang, Xiang Zheng, Fang Huang, Wei-dong Li, Xian Xu and Hong-wei Zhang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:106
    Content type: Research Published on:

  5. The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) is the largest national water conservancy project in China. However, the Eastern Route Project (ERP) of SNWDP will refer to the habitats of Oncomelania hupensis,...

    Authors: You-Sheng Liang, Wei Wang, Hong-Jun Li, Xue-Hui Shen, Yong-Liang Xu and Jian-Rong Dai
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:52
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. Intestinal parasite infections (IPIs) are among the most significant causes of illness and disease of socially and economically disadvantaged populations in developing countries, including rural areas of the P...

    Authors: Li-Guang Tian, Jia-Xu Chen, Tian-Ping Wang, Guo-Jin Cheng, Peter Steinmann, Feng-Feng Wang, Yu-Chun Cai, Xiao-Mei Yin, Jian Guo, Li Zhou and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:36
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still an important public health problem in China. In recent years endemic regions spread, prevalence increased, and even an outbreak of the disease occurred in China due to glob...

    Authors: Jun-Yun Wang, Gang Cui, Hai-Tang Chen, Xiao-Nong Zhou, Chun-Hua Gao and Yue-Tao Yang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:31
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonotic parasitic disease that occurs in both animals and humans. Traditional molecular assays are often difficult to perform, especially for the early diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondi...

    Authors: Qing-Ming Kong, Shao-Hong Lu, Qun-Bo Tong, Di Lou, Rui Chen, Bin Zheng, Takashi Kumagai, Li-Yong Wen, Nobuo Ohta and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2012 5:2
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  9. Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health concern in China. There are many interventions implemented to control the transmission of the disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate...

    Authors: Le-Ping Sun, Wei Wang, You-Sheng Liang, Zeng-Xi Tian, Qing-Biao Hong, Kun Yang, Guo-Jing Yang, Jian-Rong Dai and Yang Gao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:243
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) have been considered an important strategy for disrupting the malaria transmission cycle, especially for Plasmodium vivax malaria, which undergoes gametocytogenesis earlier d...

    Authors: Hui Feng, Li Zheng, Xiaotong Zhu, Gege Wang, Yanyan Pan, Ying Li, Yimei Yang, Yahui Lin, Liwang Cui and Yaming Cao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:224
    Content type: Research Published on:

  11. Due to the success of the national schistosomiasis control programme in China, transmission has been sufficiently reduced in many areas to severely limit identification of areas at risk by conventional snail s...

    Authors: Le-Ping Sun, You-Sheng Liang, Hong-Hui Wu, Zeng-Xi Tian, Jian-Rong Dai, Kun Yang, Qing-Biao Hong, Xiao-Nong Zhou and Guo-Jing Yang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:223
    Content type: Research Published on:

  12. Infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii causes serious public health problems and is of great economic importance worldwide. Protection from acute toxoplasmosis is known to be mediated by CD8+ T cells, but...

    Authors: Xi-Meng Sun, Jun Zou, Elashram Saeed AA, Wen-Chao Yan, Xian-Yong Liu, Xun Suo, Heng Wang and Qi-Jun Chen
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:213
    Content type: Research Published on:

  13. Schistosomiasis japonica, caused by contact with Schistosoma japonicum cercaria-infested water when washing, bathing or production, remains a major public-health concern in China. The purpose of the present study...

    Authors: You-Sheng Liang, Wei Wang, Yun-Tian Xing, Hong-Jun Li, Yong-Liang Xu, Xue-Hui Shen, Guo-Li Qu, You-Zi Li and Jian-Rong Dai
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:209
    Content type: Research Published on:

  14. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasite that causes eosinophilic meningitis in humans. The most common source of infection with A. cantonensis is the consumption of raw or undercooked mollusks (e.g., s...

    Authors: Rui Chen, QunBo Tong, Yi Zhang, Di Lou, QingMing Kong, Shan Lv, MingMing Zhuo, LiYong Wen and ShaoHong Lu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:204
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  16. Helminth infection may modulate the expression of Toll like receptors (TLR) in dendritic cells (DCs) and modify the responsiveness of DCs to TLR ligands. This may regulate aberrant intestinal inflammation in h...

    Authors: ShuMin Sun, XueLin Wang, XiuPing Wu, Ying Zhao, Feng Wang, XiaoLei Liu, YanXia Song, ZhiLiang Wu and MingYuan Liu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:186
    Content type: Review Published on:

  17. Clonorchiasis, caused by Clonorchis sinensis, is one of the major parasitic zoonoses in China, particularly in China's southern Guangdong province where the prevalence of C. sinensis infection in humans is high. ...

    Authors: Rui-Qing Lin, Jian-Dong Tang, Dong-Hui Zhou, Hui-Qun Song, Si-Yang Huang, Jia-Xu Chen, Mu-Xin Chen, Han Zhang, Xing-Quan Zhu and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:180
    Content type: Research Published on:

  18. Schistosomiasis remains an important public health problem throughout tropical and subtropical countries. Humans are infected through contact with water contaminated with schistosome cercariae. Therefore, issu...

    Authors: Jie Wang, Chuan-Xin Yu, Xu-Ren Yin, Wei Zhang, Chun-Yan Qian, Li-Jun Song, Xue-Dan Ke, Yong-Liang Xu, Wei He and Guo-Qun Cao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:172
    Content type: Research Published on:

  19. Research is now focused on identification of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests for early identification of schistosomal infection and evaluation of chemotherapy in field situations in China.

    Authors: Cen Wang, Lin Chen, Xuren Yin, Wanquan Hua, Min Hou, Minjun Ji, Chuanxin Yu and Guanling Wu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:164
    Content type: Research Published on:

  20. Schistosomiasis japonica (schistosomiasis) is a zoonosis that can seriously affect human health. At present, the immunodiagnostic assays for schistosomiasis detection are time-consuming and require well-traine...

    Authors: Li-Ling Yu, Jian-Zu Ding, Li-Yong Wen, Di Lou, Xiao-Lan Yan, Li-Jun Lin, Shao-Hong Lu, Dan-Dan Lin and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:157
    Content type: Research Published on:

  21. Cathepsin cysteine proteases play multiple roles in the life cycle of parasites such as food uptake, immune invasion and pathogenesis, making them valuable targets for diagnostic assays, vaccines and drugs. Th...

    Authors: Wenjun Chen, Xiaoyun Wang, Xuerong Li, Xiaoli Lv, Chenhui Zhou, Chuanhuan Deng, Huali Lei, Jingtao Men, Yongxiu Fan, Chi Liang and Xinbing Yu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:149
    Content type: Research Published on:

  22. The most recent strategy for schistosomiasis control in the People's Republic of China aims to reduce the likelihood of environmental contamination of schistosome eggs. Despite considerable progress, it is bel...

    Authors: Guo-Jing Yang, Xiao-Nong Zhou, Le-Ping Sun, Feng Wu, Bo Zhong, Dong-Chuan Qiu, Jürg Utzinger and Corey JA Bradshaw
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:133
    Content type: Research Published on:

  23. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a high performance method for detecting DNA and holds promise for use in the molecular detection of infectious pathogens, including Plasmodium spp. However, in mos...

    Authors: Zhi-Yong Tao, Hua-Yun Zhou, Hui Xia, Sui Xu, Han-Wu Zhu, Richard L Culleton, Eun-Taek Han, Feng Lu, Qiang Fang, Ya-Ping Gu, Yao-Bao Liu, Guo-Ding Zhu, Wei-Ming Wang, Ju-Lin Li, Jun Cao and Qi Gao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:115
    Content type: Research Published on:

  24. Liver flukes belonging to the genus Fasciola are among the causes of foodborne diseases of parasitic etiology. These parasites cause significant public health problems and substantial economic losses to the lives...

    Authors: Lin Ai, Mu-Xin Chen, Samer Alasaad, Hany M Elsheikha, Juan Li, Hai-Long Li, Rui-Qing Lin, Feng-Cai Zou, Xing-Quan Zhu and Jia-Xu Chen
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:101
    Content type: Review Published on:

  25. Infections with the opisthorchid liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, and O. felineus cause severe health problems globally, particularly in Southeast Asia. Early identification of the infect...

    Authors: Jiufeng Sun, Jin Xu, Pei Liang, Qiang Mao, Yan Huang, Xiaoli Lv, Chuanhuan Deng, Chi Liang, G S de Hoog and Xinbing Yu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:98
    Content type: Research Published on:

  26. Schistosomiasis remains a major public health concern that afflicts millions of people worldwide. Low levels of Schistosoma infection require more sensitive diagnostic methods. In this study, a time-resolved fluo...

    Authors: Chun-Yan Qian, Biao Huang, Chuan-Xin Yu, Jue Zhang, Xu-Ren Yin, Jie Wang, Li-Jun Song, Wei Zhang and Xue-Dan Ke
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:95
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  27. The dipstick dye immunoassay (DDIA), recently commercially available in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China), is a rapid and simple test to detect human antibodies against Schistosoma Japonicum. Its perfor...

    Authors: Jing Xu, Ting Feng, Dan-Dan Lin, Qi-Zhi Wang, Li Tang, Xiao-Hua Wu, Jia-Gang Guo, Rosanna W Peeling and Xiao-Nong Zhou
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:87
    Content type: Research Published on:

  28. Malaria still represents a significant public health problem in China, and the cases dramatically increased in Central China after 2001. Antifolate resistance in Plasmodium vivax is caused by point mutations in g...

    Authors: Fang Huang, Shuisen Zhou, Shaosen Zhang, Weidong Li and Hongwei Zhang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:80
    Content type: Research Published on:

  29. Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is endemic in western China, resulting in important public health problem. It is essential to evaluate the prevalence of canine Leishmania infantum infection for designing control poli...

    Authors: Jun-Yun Wang, Yu Ha, Chun-Hua Gao, Yong Wang, Yue-Tao Yang and Hai-Tang Chen
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:69
    Content type: Research Published on:

  30. In recent years, surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China. However, little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Northwest China. In the pre...

    Authors: Song-Ming Wu, Si-Yang Huang, Bao-Quan Fu, Guang-Yuan Liu, Jia-Xu Chen, Mu-Xin Chen, Zi-Guo Yuan, Dong-Hui Zhou, Ya-Biao Weng, Xing-Quan Zhu and De-He Ye
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2011 4:64
    Content type: Research Published on: