日本住血吸虫

Awards Science and Technology Film Festival Director's Award, International Science Film Association Conference Honorary Award Film Summary Produced by Tokyo Bunei, Planning by Ikari Shokusei 1976, Color, 22 minutes This film explains schistosomiasis japonicum, a parasitic disease primarily found in Southeast Asia and once endemic to the Kofu Basin in Japan. Schistosomiasis japonicum In 1904, Professor Katsurada Fujiro of Okayama Medical College (now Okayama University) brought back a cat from the Kofu Basin, one of the disease-endemic areas, and discovered a fluke inside its body, which was later named Schistosomiasis japonicum. Next, in 1913, Professor Miyairi Keinosuke of Kyushu University identified the Japanese snail as the intermediate host, and efforts to eradicate the endemic disease began. Among various countermeasures, it was discovered that concrete-covering slow-flowing irrigation channels, where the Japanese snails live, and increasing the flow velocity to create an environment that is difficult for the snails to live in was extremely effective. However, cement was expensive at the time, and covering the entire irrigation channel with concrete was beyond the prefecture's financial means, so the plan was shelved. However, after World War II, as agricultural land development began nationwide, ample funds were poured into disease-affected areas, leading to priority development efforts. As a result, both Miyairigai and Japanese schistosomiasis rapidly declined, and no new cases have been reported since 1978. In February 1996, Yamanashi Prefecture, which has disease-affected areas in the Fuji River basin in the Kofu Basin, the largest infected area, declared the end of the Japanese schistosomiasis epidemic. This was the result of 115 years of endemic disease control. Today, even medical schools no longer have parasitology departments. This disease causes typhoid-like high fever, diarrhea, and persistent mucus in the stool. Symptoms include loss of appetite and abdominal pain, as well as enlargement of the liver and spleen. In the chronic stage, digestive and liver disorders occur, causing general weakness and death. Infection during childhood can lead to stunted physical and mental development. The filmmakers write, "It is said that there are as many as 40 million Japanese schistosomiasis patients in Asia. With the remarkable progress that medical science has made today, why has this disease not yet been eradicated? We hope to use the lens of science film to shed light on the ecology of this endemic disease and help eradicate Japanese schistosomiasis." Supervised by: Professor Kazuo Yasuraoka, University of Tsukuba Professor Hiroshi Tanaka, University of Tokyo Instructors: Yuji Irie, University of Tsukuba Hajime Matsuda, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo Kiyohisa Naganuma, Ikari Disinfection Technology Research Institute Sponsored by: Japanese Tropical Medicine Society, Japanese Parasitic Disease Prevention Association Supported by: Philippine Department of Health, Schistosomiasis Control Research Institute, Yamanashi Prefecture Staff: Planning: Satoshi Kurosawa, Shinji Kurosawa Produced by: Shogo Tsuchiya Screenplay: Yoshito Yoneuchi Cinematography: Hiroshi Yamamoto Microscope Photography: Sadao Toyooka Assistants: Hirofumi Suzuki, Mitsunobu Wada Music: Toshihiko Aiba Commentary: Masaaki Kobayakawa This film is being distributed uncensored from the time of its production.