Eradication Project Research Articles

A predictive analysis on the risk of peste des petits ruminants in livestock in the Trans-Himalayan region and validation of its transboundary transmission paths.

Although the Trans-Himalayan region (THR) is an important endemic and rendezvous area of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), monitoring and prevention measurements are difficult to execute because of the rough geographical conditions. Besides, a heterogeneous breeding system and the poor veterinary service of susceptible animals compound the existing problems. Here, we propose a forecasting system to define the key points of PPR prevention and aid the countries in saving time, labor, and products to achieve the goal of the global eradication project of PPR. The spatial distribution of PPR was predicted in the THR for the first time using a niche model that was constructed with a combination of eco-geographical, anthropoid, meteorological, and host variables. The transboundary least-cost paths (LCPs) of small ruminants in the THR were also calculated. Our results reveal that the low-elevation area of the THR had a higher PPR risk and was mainly dominated by human variables. The high-elevation area had lower risk and was mainly dominated by natural variables. Eight LCPs representing corridors among India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China were obtained. This confirmed the potential risk of transboundary communication by relying on PPR contamination on the grasslands for the first time. The predicted potential risk communication between the two livestock systems and landscapes (high and low elevation) might play a role in driving PPR transboundary transmission.

Game-based learning for engaging citizens in biopollution control

ABSTRACT Citizens are essential for safeguarding ecosystems from biopollutants, but raising the population’s awareness of the problem through the communication of scientific discoveries about biological invasions is still a challenge. Here, we have assayed an interdisciplinary game-based method of recognizing the invasive pygmy mussel Xenosotrobus securis for volunteers of different age groups, we have measured their learning gain and engagement, and we have compared it with that obtained from conventional talk-lecture training. A highly significant positive correlation was found between knowledge gain and awareness, which were both greater in children than in adults. Similar engagement was achieved in the two age groups regarding volunteering in an eradication project. The results suggest the high efficacy of game-based training, especially in young age groups. One year after the volunteers’ action, environmental DNA surveys and visual inspections confirmed the control of the invasive species population in a defined area through time.

Alien fish eradication from high mountain lakes by multiple removal methods: Estimating residual abundance and eradication probability in open populations

Abstract Invasive alien species are among the most important threats to biodiversity. Plans for their eradication have been implemented worldwide but estimating residual population size and eradication probability to assess removal success is complicated by the imperfect detection of residual individuals. Most methods to assess residual abundance and eradication probability rely on the often unrealistic assumption that a population is closed to mortality and recruitment processes during the implementation of removal actions. We extended existing removal models and developed a novel analytical approach to estimate residual population size and derive eradication probability in open populations while accounting for multiple removal methods. We apply this approach to 20 eradication projects in Europe and the United States that used mechanical methods to return high mountain lakes to their original fishless condition. The new removal model incorporates (a) a mechanistic description of the ecological process underlying survival and recruitment probabilities during the eradication period and (b) the use of multiple, concomitant removal methods (i.e. electrofishing, gillnetting, fyke‐netting) at multiple sites simultaneously. We used a subset of ‘control’ lakes where eradication success was confirmed by more than 5 years of post‐removal surveys to validate the model. For these lakes, eradication success, evaluated by whether the 95% Bayesian credible interval for estimated residual population size encompassed values of <2 individuals, was confirmed in 13 out of 15 lake‐by‐species case studies. In addition, the model correctly assigned an eradication probabilities equal to 0 for the eradications that are still in progress. Synthesis and applications. Our study provides insights into the dynamics of fish populations subject to eradication in high mountain lakes of different countries. In addition, the analytical approach proposed accounts for demographic processes and multiple removal methods in multiple sites and seasons. It can represent an informative tool to estimate residual population size and eradication probability of alien species to optimize eradication efforts and efficacy of conservation actions. The extension to open populations makes the approach useful to evaluate long‐term eradication plans.

Evaluating a Permeable‐Style Fish Barrier to Prevent the Upstream Recolonization of Nonnative Trout during an Eradication Project

AbstractIn the western United States, the introduction of nonnative Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis has had deleterious effects on native Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii subspecies, and often their populations must be controlled or removed if Cutthroat Trout are to persist. Man‐made fish migration barriers are integral components of stream restoration projects, and typical designs are intended to be permanent and to funnel water over a drop and onto a splash pad. The water elevation drop and the splash pad, which prevents a jumping pool, are mechanisms intended to prevent fish from navigating upstream past the structure. In this study, we installed a temporary, permeable‐style barrier that was designed to have water flow onto and through a horizontal, expanded steel panel. When fish attempted to move upstream, they would follow the water flow and end up underneath the barrier, with no opportunity to move further. The permeable barrier proved effective in preventing the upstream movement of Brook Trout, and additional advantages to this barrier style included straightforward permitting, low cost, ease of installation, and quick removal. The main disadvantage was the periodic cleaning (average of 7 trips/year) that was required to maintain its intended function. The permeable barrier separated stream reaches for 5 years, allowing biologists to (1) eradicate Brook Trout upstream through multiple‐pass backpack electrofishing while preserving native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii bouvieri and (2) apply a successful piscicide treatment below the barrier.

Bottom‐up effect of eradications: The unintended consequences for top‐order predators when eradicating invasive prey

Abstract The eradication of invasive species from islands yields significant conservation returns. However, novel challenges continue to arise as projects expand in their scope, complexity and scale. Prey‐loss and secondary poisoning were historically considered to have limited impact on native top‐order predators when planning eradications, but this has rarely been tested quantitatively. We used a 10‐year timeseries of Brown Skua Stercorarius antarcticus lonnbergi breeding surveys and isotopic dietary analysis on Macquarie Island to investigate how prey‐loss and secondary poisoning deaths resulting from the eradication of an abundant invasive prey species, European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, affected a top‐order predator. Skua nest density declined from 7.14 nests/km2 (95% CI: 6.01–8.27) in the presence of rabbits (pre‐eradication) to 3.73 nests/km2 (95% CI: 2.96–4.51) in the first 3 years after the eradication of rabbits, before showing signs of recovery in the 4 years thereafter. However, breeding success dropped from 1.01 chicks/nest (95% CI: 0.76–1.26) to as low as 0.38 chicks/nest (95% CI: 0.23–0.53) with little evidence of recovery. Secondary poisoning affected a greater number of skuas than anticipated prior to the eradication, including skuas nesting in areas where rabbits were not typically hunted as prey. We highlight that invasive prey often replace native prey in the diet of native predators rather than provide an additional source of food, and rapid eradication of non‐native prey can have long‐term impacts for predators, particularly when recovery of native prey is slow. Synthesis and applications. Monitoring programmes that complement large‐scale eradication projects and address (a) trophic‐driven declines in predator populations and (b) population‐level impacts of secondary poisoning are integral to ensuring bottom‐up effects of eradications are anticipated and adequately quantified. If prey deficits caused by eradication of invasive prey are expected to be severe but short‐lived, supplementary feeding programmes may buffer against increased predation pressure on native prey and reduced breeding success of native predators. Alternatively, if the rapid recovery of native prey is not expected to occur naturally, breeding programmes and translocation of native prey prior to assist recovery of native predators should be considered to support ecosystem restoration.

Feral violence: The Pelorus experiment

In early July 2016, two male dingoes were brought by ferry to a small island called Pelorus in the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of north Queensland, Australia, as part of an experimental ‘feral’ goat eradication project. What was remarkable about this project was that the two dingoes released on the island had been implanted with a slow-release capsule containing sodium fluoroacetate, commonly known as ‘1080’. These so-called ‘Tik Toks’, produced by a firm called Scientec, were designed to release their poison into the bodies of the dingoes in approximately 600 days, after they had served their purpose as goat exterminators. The public and political backlash that the Pelorus experiment aroused reveals a gap between the team’s ambitions to ‘set the platform’ for the conservation of ‘pristine’ islands and community sentiment concerning animal cruelty. Just how this ‘bizarre’ experiment (as it was described in State parliament) gained ethics approval is one part of this story. Another relates to implants themselves and what this ‘innovation’ (‘the stuff of horror films’ as one petitioner described it) reveals about attitudes to ‘killing for conservation’. The Pelorus experiment also shows us what is frequently concealed by eradication programmes, which is that they rely not on a single act of eradication, but a cycle of violence that we describe here as a form of ‘feral violence’. In the case of Pelorus, the ‘implants’ tipped Conservation’s motif from the romance of ‘rescuing nature’ to that of horror, imperilling the social licence that conservation projects assume.

A multi-pronged scoping review approach to understanding the evolving implementation of the Smallpox and Polio eradication programs: what can other Global Health initiatives learn?

BackgroundPrevious initiatives have aimed to document the history and legacy of the Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP) and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). In this multi-pronged scoping review, we explored the evolution and learning from SEP and GPEI implementation over time at global and country levels to inform other global health programs.MethodsThree related reviews of literature were conducted; we searched for documents on 1) the SEP and 2) GPEI via online database searches and also conducted global and national-level grey literature searches for documents related to the GPEI in seven purposively selected countries under the Synthesis and Translation of Research and Innovations from Polio Eradication (STRIPE) project. We included documents relevant to GPEI implementation. We conducted full text data analysis and captured data on Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) implementation strategies and principles, tools, outcomes, target audiences, and relevance to global health knowledge areas.Results200 articles were included in the SEP scoping review, 1885 articles in the GPEI scoping review, and 963 documents in the grey literature review. M&E and engagement strategies were consistently translated from the SEP to GPEI; these evolved into newer approaches under the GPEI. Management strategies including setting up robust record systems also carried forward from SEP to GPEI; however, lessons around the need for operational flexibility in applying these strategies at national and sub-national levels did not. Similarly, strategies and lessons around conducting health systems readiness assessments prior to implementation were not carried forward from SEP to GPEI. Differences in the planning and communication strategies between the two programs included fidelity to implementation blueprints appeared to be higher under SEP, and independent monitoring boards and communication and media strategies were more prominent under GPEI.ConclusionsLinear learning did not always occur between SEP and GPEI; several lessons were lost and had to be re-learned. Implementation and adaptation of strategies in global health programs should be well codified, including information on the contextual, time and stakeholders’ issues that elicit adaptations. Such description can improve the systematic translation of knowledge, and gains in efficiency and effectiveness of future global health programs.

Environmental DNA Sampling Informs Fish Eradication Efforts: Case Studies and Lessons Learned

AbstractWorldwide, freshwater ecosystems are threatened by invasive species, resulting in adverse effects on infrastructure, economy, recreation, and native aquatic communities. In stream settings, chemical piscicides can be an effective tool for eradicating invasive fishes. However, chemical treatments are expensive and time consuming, and they do not discriminate between invasive and native species in a system. Therefore, managers would ideally limit treatment to only the area occupied by the invasive species. Because traditional survey methods may not accurately detect individuals in low abundance (e.g., at the edge of their distribution, or following an eradication effort), chemical treatments may be applied more broadly and more often than is necessary to ensure complete coverage. Furthermore, inadequate posttreatment sampling can fail to detect survivors of a treatment. As a result, managers may erroneously conclude that eradication was successful, leaving the ecosystem vulnerable to reestablishment by the invader. More sensitive sampling tools should allow for more precise definition of the treatment area and more accurate evaluation of project success. This would reduce project costs and overall effects on native species. Here, we illustrate how environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling addressed these challenges through three case studies, each of which used eDNA sampling to inform the removal of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis in small streams. We found that eDNA methods can be informative throughout all stages of eradication projects in stream settings. It can assist with delimiting the population prior to treatment, provide detailed location data on surviving target individuals, and serve as an efficient and relatively inexpensive monitoring tool to assess long‐term treatment efficacy. When combined with traditional survey tools, such as electrofishing, eDNA sampling may help reduce the size and number of treatments that are necessary to reach project goals. This translates directly to increased efficacy of treatments, reduced labor and cost, and reduced adverse effects on the native community.

A review of mammal eradications on Mediterranean islands

Abstract Impacts of alien invasive species on island communities and ecosystems may be even more detrimental than on the mainland. Therefore, since the 1950s, hundreds of restoration projects have been implemented worldwide, with the aim of controlling or eradicating alien species from islands. To date, no review has been focused on eradication on Mediterranean islands. To fill the gap, I reviewed the available information concerning mammal eradications so far carried out on Mediterranean islands, examining the details of several aspects of project implementation and monitoring. I obtained data for 139 attempted eradications on 107 Mediterranean islands in eight countries, with Greece, Italy, and Spain accounting for the highest number. Eradication projects targeted 13 mammal species. The black rat Rattus rattus was the target of over 75% of the known attempted eradications in the Mediterranean Basin; other species targeted were feral goat Capra hircus, house mouse Mus musculus, European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, and domestic cat Felis catus. The most widely adopted technique was poisoning (77% of all eradications), followed by trapping (15%) and hunting (4%). However, techniques were largely target‐specific. The average failure rate was about 11%. However, this percentage varied according to the specific mammalian order, and eradications of Carnivora failed more often than those of other mammals. Among rodents, house mouse eradication attained a very high failure rate (75%). Reinvasion occurred after 15% of successful eradications. A better understanding of the motivations of animal rights activists may improve the chance of success when eradicating charismatic or domesticated species. Furthermore, it is crucial to collect data and case studies about reinvasions, in order to strengthen biosecurity programmes following eradication. As in other parts of the world, the next frontier in alien mammal management on Mediterranean islands concerns the eradication of invasive species from inhabited islands.

A mink‐free GB: perspectives on eradicating American mink Neovison vison from Great Britain and its islands

AbstractThis paper examines the case for, and plausibility of, eradicating American mink Neovison vison from mainland Great Britain and its associated offshore islands. This invasive species causes extensive damage to native fauna throughout Europe, and the UK Government is obliged to eradicate it, if feasible, under the Bern Convention. Current mink control buys time, but is patchy and dependent on substantial funding in perpetuity. If enacted, eradication would be cheaper in the long term and much more effective in preserving native wildlife. The methodology of an eradication campaign is explored, together with risks, challenges, and a tentative timeline and cost. We judge that mink eradication is now logistically feasible, due to technological developments and experience gained from landscape‐scale control. Using live traps fitted with electronic sensors – ‘smart’ traps – as the primary means of catching mink would render the campaign efficient, humane and free of non‐target mortality and negative environmental impacts. The ecological benefits of mink eradication would be profound, including greatly improving prospects for water vole Arvicola amphibius populations. Reinvasion is highly unlikely. The greatest logistical challenge is probably removing mink from Scottish west coast islands. Eradication might take around a decade and be dependent on co‐ordination between many conservation, fishing, farming, and water‐related organisations, together with the consent of landowners. By adding alarms to existing mink traps, land and water managers can pave the way to eradication now. A mink‐free Great Britain would plausibly cost tens of millions of pounds, against which could be set the limitless future costs of mink control. Such a campaign would be by far the world's largest invasive predator eradication project by geographical area and would set a precedent for citizen‐led conservation action globally. Regional trials would be extremely valuable in determining the costs and practicality of a GB‐wide campaign.

Treating Cancer as an Invasive Species.

To cure a patient's cancer is to eradicate invasive cells from the ecosystem of the body. However, the ecologic complexity of this challenge is not well understood. Here we show how results from eradications of invasive mammalian species from islands-one of the few contexts in which invasive species have been regularly cleared-inform new research directions for treating cancer. We first summarize the epidemiologic characteristics of island invader eradications and cancer treatments by analyzing recent datasets from the Database of Invasive Island Species Eradications and The Cancer Genome Atlas, detailing the superior successes of island eradication projects. Next, we compare how genetic and environmental factors impact success in each system. These comparisons illuminate a number of promising cancer research and treatment directions, such as heterogeneity engineering as motivated by gene drives and adaptive therapy; multiscale analyses of how population heterogeneity potentiates treatment resistance; and application of ecological data mining techniques to high-throughput cancer data. We anticipate that interdisciplinary comparisons between tumor progression and invasive species would inspire development of novel paradigms to cure cancer.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in South Korea.

Simple SummaryNutrias (Myocastor coypus) are large semiaquatic rodents native to subtropical and temperate South America. Nutrias have been introduced on all continents, except Oceania and Antarctica, and have become invasive in many countries. This study carried out a survey of nutrias in South Korea under the Nutria Eradication Project from January 2013 to August 2015. Out of 1509 habitat traces, 1497 tracks were observed in the Nakdong River basin. Based on the ecological field data, we identified concentrated areas of nutria populations. Tissue samples were collected from captured nutria for genetic analysis. According to the microsatellite marker analysis, the estimated genetic diversity of the nutria populations was low, which suggests that nutrias in South Korea originate from a single population.The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is an invasive alien species that have had major adverse effects on biodiversity and the agricultural economy in wetland habitats. Since 2014, the Ministry of Environment in South Korea has been carrying out the Nutria Eradication Project, and we investigated nutria distribution and genetic diversity of nutria populations in South Korea. We estimated that 99.2% of nutria habitats are in the mid-lower Nakdong River regions. To further analyze the genetic diversity in eight major nutria populations, we performed a genetic analysis using microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity levels of the eight nutria populations in South Korea were relatively lower than those in other countries. The probability of migration direction among nutria populations was predicted from genetic distance analysis. Genetic structure analysis showed little difference among the nutria populations in South Korea. These results suggest that nutrias in South Korea originated from a single population. Our results provide important data for establishing management strategies for the successful eradication of nutria populations in South Korea, as well as in other countries with alien invasive species.

Roadmap and checklist of invasive species management: Learning from the mongoose eradication project on Amami-Oshima

Roadmap and checklist of invasive species management: Learning from the mongoose eradication project on Amami-Oshima

Rapid behavioural responses of native frogs caused by past predation pressure from invasive mongooses

AbstractInvasive predators not only cause native prey populations to decline but can also induce evolutionary changes in their behaviour in a short time scale. However, few studies have reported these rapid responses. This could be because strong predation pressure by invasive species often causes the extinction of native prey before an evolutionary effect can be detected. Recently, eradication projects successfully removed invasive predators and resulted in the recovery of native prey. We predicted that rapid responses can be detected by evaluating the behavioural traits of native prey populations having different histories of predator invasion. We examined the behavioural responses of a native frog, the Amami tip‐nosed frog (Odorrana amamiensis), to an invasive mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) on Amami Island, Japan. The native frog population was reduced by the mongoose; however, the eradication project leads to the recovery of the native frog population, thereby providing an opportunity to evaluate the evolutionary impact of the invasive species. We hypothesized that spatial differences in flight initiation distance (FID) can be explained by spatial patterns of past mongoose predation pressure. We used a spatial model based on generalized least squares regression methods to test the effects of potential factors on FID. We then performed model comparison and model averaging. We found that the native frog became more sensitive to the approach of a potential predator as the historical impact of the mongoose increased, suggesting that past strong predation pressure by the mongoose drove a rapid behavioural response in the native frog. Our study suggests that rapid behavioural responses of other native species can be detected not only after successful eradication projects, but also on currently invaded sites with different invasion histories.

Removal and eradication of introduced species in a fenced reserve: Quantifying effort, costs and results

SummaryGiven the difficulty of effective landscape‐scale control of introduced predators, fenced areas that exclude them (i.e. ‘mainland islands') can play an important role in conserving threatened mammal species in Australia. Despite this, the effort required to eradicate or remove introduced species from within fenced areas remains poorly quantified. This study was conducted at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary in semi‐arid Western Australia, where a 43 km predator‐exclusion fence surrounding 7832 ha was completed in June 2014. The subsequent effort expended in eradicating feral Cat (Felis catus) and removing European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations was logged daily during 11 months of active population removal and 3.5 months of monitoring. The total effort expended on cat eradication, rabbit removal and monitoring included over 4800 person‐hours of work and nearly 67,000 km of driving (of which 6700 km was for spotlighting), and the conduct of over 15,000 trap nights, 2300 km of sand tracking transects, and over 7800 camera‐trap nights. Total costs (in 2015 figures) were estimated at just over AUD $390,000, which equates to approximately $50 per hectare. Cage trapping was most efficacious for catching cats, although it took nine months to capture the last individual, which was detected independently by both sand tracking transects and camera traps. This research provides baseline data on the resources required for future eradication and removal projects, particularly those within fenced reserves.

Distribution and Management of Nutria (Myocastor coypus) Populations in South Korea

In 2014, the South Korean government initiated the “Nutria Eradication Project” to actively manage and control populations of nutria, an invasive alien species that threatens national biodiversity. In the present study, we examined domestic nutria habitats in 2014 to 2018 and analyzed spatial shifts in habitat distribution to develop management policies and eradication strategies for the South Korean Ministry of Environment. A total of 27,487 nutria individuals were captured over five years upon the initiation of the eradication project. We found that the number of habitat tracks decreased from 1510 in 19 administrative districts in 2014 to 176 in 14 districts in 2018. We examined the distribution of nutria habitat tracks and found a northwestward shift at an average angle of 313.9° and 46,656.9 m. This distribution shift prompted improvements in control policies focused on nutria capture to suppress rodent movement and shifting distributions. We redefined the spatial scope of our control regions accordingly and established isolated environments in each region to prevent further spread. Additionally, resource management was focused in areas showing habitat expansion. Overall, we observed an estimated 54% decrease in nutria habitat tracks from 2016 to 2017. Our results have since been enacted in government policies and provide a basis for establishing flexible strategies for effectively controlling nutria habitats and populations. In 2017, the South Korean government allocated additional funds for research and for the development of further control strategies working toward the project’s goals.

Eaten or beaten? Severe population decline of the invasive lizard Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) after an eradication project in Athens, Greece

Invasive species have been recognised as an important hazard to native communities. Amongst the mitigation measures that have been proposed to confront biological invasions, eradication projects are certainly the most drastic. In this short communication, a successful eradication project against a recently established population of the Italian wall lizard (Podarcissiculus) in Athens, Greece, is reported. To this aim, the Hellenic Herpetological Society received unforeseen aid from stray cats and, possibly, from the Οcellated skink (Chalcidesocellatus) and vegetation growth. Within three years, the initial thriving P.siculus population has shrunk to very few individuals.

Globally important islands where eradicating invasive mammals will benefit highly threatened vertebrates.

Invasive alien species are a major threat to native insular species. Eradicating invasive mammals from islands is a feasible and proven approach to prevent biodiversity loss. We developed a conceptual framework to identify globally important islands for invasive mammal eradications to prevent imminent extinctions of highly threatened species using biogeographic and technical factors, plus a novel approach to consider socio-political feasibility. We applied this framework using a comprehensive dataset describing the distribution of 1,184 highly threatened native vertebrate species (i.e. those listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the IUCN Red List) and 184 non-native mammals on 1,279 islands worldwide. Based on extinction risk, irreplaceability, severity of impact from invasive species, and technical feasibility of eradication, we identified and ranked 292 of the most important islands where eradicating invasive mammals would benefit highly threatened vertebrates. When socio-political feasibility was considered, we identified 169 of these islands where eradication planning or operation could be initiated by 2020 or 2030 and would improve the survival prospects of 9.4% of the Earth’s most highly threatened terrestrial insular vertebrates (111 of 1,184 species). Of these, 107 islands were in 34 countries and territories and could have eradication projects initiated by 2020. Concentrating efforts to eradicate invasive mammals on these 107 islands would benefit 151 populations of 80 highly threatened vertebrates and make a major contribution towards achieving global conservation targets adopted by the world’s nations.

Behavior Society in the Mosquito Eradication Project in Suka Damai Village, Rimbo Ulu Subdistrict, Tebo District, Jambi Province in 2011

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A Helicobacter pylori screening and treatment program to eliminate gastric cancer among junior high school students in Saga Prefecture: a preliminary report.

To present the strategies and preliminary findings of the first 3years after implementing a Helicobacter pylori screening and eradication program to prevent gastric cancer in Saga Prefecture. A screening and treatment program to eradicate H. pylori from third-grade junior high students was started in Saga Prefecture in 2016, using local governmental grants. Screening was with urinary anti-H. pylori antibody tests, followed by H. pylori stool antigen tests for students who were antibody positive. Those positive on both tests underwent H. pylori eradication by triple therapy based on a potassium-competitive acid blocker. From 2016 to 2018, the participation rate was 83.1% and the H. pylori infection rate was 3.1% (660/21,042). The participation rates were higher in 2017 (85.4%) and 2018 (85.9%) compared with 2016 (78.5%) (P < 0.0001), and the infection rate also decreased in a time-dependent manner (2016: 3.6%, 2017: 3.3%, 2018: 2.5%, P = 0.0001). In total, 501 students positive for H. pylori received eradication therapy (85.1% success) and adverse events occurred in 20 of these (4.0%). However, no serious complications occurred. The H. pylori screening and eradication project for school students in Saga Prefecture has started successfully and we have seen both a steady increase in the participation rate and a steady decrease in the infection rate, without major safety concerns.