[Epidemiological investigation on sparganosis mansoni and animal experiments]

The investigation was made in Luohe City of Henan Province from April to November, 2008. Cyclops were collected and plerocercoids of Spirometra mansoni were examined by microscope. Skin, muscle and internal organs of frogs and tadpoles were checked to detect spargana by naked eye and/or anatomical microscope. Feces of cats and dogs were collected to examine eggs after washing and precipitation. Spargana from tadpoles were collected to infect cats by oral inoculation. Results showed that the infection rate of plerocercoids in cyclops was 3.5% (3/85) and that of spagarna in tadpoles and frogs was 35.9% (120/334) and 16.8% (75/446), respectively. Among 3 cats and 31 dogs investigated, 1 and 6 (19.4%) were found infected respectively. Eggs of Spirometra mansoni were found in feces of cats 12 days after infection. 17 adult worms were found in the intestine of the cat on the 25th day. The habit of eating live tadpoles was found in local residents. The investigation reveals a high prevalence of Spirometra mansoni in the intermediate and final hosts. Eating live tadpoles seems a main reason of getting sparganosis mansoni.