The prevalence and control of schistosomiasis in Poyang Lake region, China.

Poyang Lake, the largest fresh water lake in China, is the major transmission site of Schistosoma japonicum in China. This paper reviews the history of prevalence, efforts and achievements of controlling schistosomiasis and current status of endemicity. The epidemiological characteristics including descriptions of the endemic areas, snail host, definitive hosts, infection source, transmission and impacts of water conservancy, as well as objectives and strategy of control in Poyang Lake are discussed.