Aim: To investigate the morbidity of residents in a highly endemic village of schistosomiasis, and to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasound in morbidity study.
Methods: Morbidity induced by Schistosoma japonicum was evaluated and compared in target population by using parasitological examination, ultrasound investigation and medical history questionnaire.
Results: The schistosome infection rate was 22.9% in the study population and the prevalence of abnormal ultrasound findings in the liver and spleen was high. The abnormal ultrasound findings correlated with sex significantly, the abnormality of liver parenchyma correlated with age, sex, infection status, occupation and the number of treatment after multiple logistic regression analysis.
Conclusion: The ultrasound examination could find out the direct pathological changes resulting from schistosome infection.