Cost-effectiveness of comprehensive schistosomiasis control strategy with focus on cattle and sheep removal in Junshan District, Yueyang City

Abstract

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of comprehensive schistosomiasis control measures with focus on total removal of cattle and sheep in Juanshan District, Yueyang City. The schistosome infection status of human, cattle, sheep and Oncomelania hupensis snails and costs of control measures were gathered during the period of 2006 to 2016. The costs for different periods and cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated. The prevalence of schistosome infection in residents in the pilot villages decreased from 3.44% in 2006 to 0 in 2016. The annual costs of schistosomiasis prevention and control were 4 708 500 yuan from 2006 to 2008, 5 094 700 yuan from 2009 to 2012 and 9 522 700 yuan from 2013 to 2016. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the average annual cost of reduction in the residents'infection rate by 1% were 79 500 yuan from 2006 to 2008, 101 200 yuan from 2009 to 2012, and 95 200 yuan from 2013 to 2016, respectively. The comprehensive schistosomiasis control strategy with focus on cattle and sheep removal in Junshan District is cost effective which could be extended to other lake and marshland schistosomiasis endemic areas.