Three Gorges Dam and Its Impact on the Potential T

Authors: HuaiMin Zhu Shuo Xiang Kun Yang XiaoHua Wu XiaoNong Zhou

Publish Date: 2008/04/25

Volume: 5, Issue: 2, Pages: 137-148

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Abstract

Largescale hydroprojects have a propensity for incurring schistosomiasis epidemics by altering the environments of their vicinities As the construction of the Three Gorges Dam one of the world’s largest hydroprojects to date draws near its conclusion an assessment of the dam’s capacity in causing schistosomiasis becomes more urgent and pressing This article reviews recent investigations into the possible effects of the dam on schistosomiasis in the Three Gorges region and areas along the Yangtze downstream from the dam Data used in this article were extracted from peerreviewed papers found in PubMed Chinese Journal of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases and Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control Results indicate that the Three Gorges Dam is capable of inducing a wide variety of environmental and ecological changes both within the Three Gorges region and in downstream areas These changes however carry ambivalent implications for the reproduction of Oncomelania snails and the spreading of schistosome infections Furthermore major changes in the demographics and agricultural practices of the Three Gorges and downstream Yangtze areas caused by the dam could also exert significant influence on the transmission of schistosomiasis in these regions Major conclusions of this review include the need for further ecological simulations of the Three Gorges Dam and the need for deploying monitoring and intervention systems to provide successful prophylaxis of the Three Gorges Damassociated schistosomiasis emergenceWe have no competing financial interests to declare The National Institute of Parasitic Diseases Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention sponsored this research This work received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China No 30590373 UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases TDR No A30298 the Ministry of Science and Technology China Grants No 2001BA705B08 2004BA718B12 and 2005DKA21104 and the Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of the Ministry of Health China Thanks to colleagues from Hubei Hunan Jiangxi Jiangsu Anhui Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Parasitic Diseases and Sichuang Chongjing Center for Disease Control and Prevention for their help on the field research activities and data collections

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