Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Although helminth infections threaten millions of people worldwide, the spatiotemporal characteristics remain unclear across China. This study systematically describes the spatiotemporal changes of major human helminth infections and their epidemiological characteristics from 1988 to 2021 in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: The survey data in Guangdong Province were primarily obtained from 3 national surveys implemented during 1988-1992, 2001-2004, and 2014-2016, respectively, and from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention during 2019-2021. A modified Kato-Katz technique was used to detect parasite eggs in collected fecal samples. RESULTS: The overall standardized infection rates (SIRs) of any soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and Clonorchis sinensis decreased from 65.27% during 1988-1992 to 4.23% during 2019-2021. In particular, the SIRs of STH had even more of a decrease, from 64.41% during 1988-1992 to 0.31% during 2019-2021. The SIRs of Clonorchis sinensis in the 4 surveys were 2.40%, 12.17%, 5.20%, and 3.93%, respectively. This study observed different permutations of gender, age, occupation, and education level on the SIRs of helminths. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of STH has substantially decreased. However, the infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis has had fewer changes, and it has become the dominant helminth.