Prevalence of sparganum infection in wild frogs in Hainan province of China involves a risk for sparganosis

Background: Sparganosis is a serious parasitic zoonosis triggered by intake of and wound contact with frog flesh or the water infected or contaminated by sparganum. Methods: The prevalence of Sparganum infection in wild frogs was assessed. A questionnaire survey was also conducted among the residents in Hainan Province to evaluate people's awareness of the medical and epidemiological relevance of sparganosis. Results: A total of 1556 wild frogs were collected to examine Sparganum infection in different organs. A total of 201(12.92%) were found to be infected with spargana of the genus Spirometra. There were 612 spargana found in those frogs, and the average infection rate was 3.04 per frog. The infection rate in the central region of Hainan Island is higher than that in other regions. Most spargana were found in the hind legs of frog, and the infection rate was not related to the weight of frogs. About 37.05% of the residents on Hainan Island have the knowledge of sparganosis and sparganum infection, and the internet was a major way to learn about sparganosis. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that occupation was identified as a determinant of sparganosis knowledge, and gender, age and residence were the most important risk factors for sparganosis. These results indicated that sparganum infection in wild frogs is common and is a potential threat to the residents on Hainan Island, and unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits may trigger sparganum infections. Conclusion: Wild frogs are commonly infected by Sparganum, which is a potential threat to people. To prevent sparganosis in humans, it is necessary to raise public awareness of sparganum infection in frogs and its association with sparganosis, as well as advocate healthy diet concepts and habits, and abandon the capture, sale and purchase of wild frogs to prevent and decrease the incidence of sparganosis.