Cluster-randomized trial showed a 35.45% reduction in Echinococcus infection risk among dogs, suggesting the pillbox improves deworming adherence.
Echinococcosis remains a significant zoonotic threat in western China, with canines serving as the primary reservoir for Echinococcus transmission. Despite monthly praziquantel (PZQ) deworming programs, challenges in compliance persist in remote pastoral regions due to logistical constraints. The smart health education pillbox (SHEP) demonstrated a 22.62% reduction in the overall cost of dog deworming, an increase of 52.59% in the proportion of dogs receiving the recommended annual deworming frequency of 9-12 times, a 35.45% decrease in the risk of Echinococcus infection, and a 1.55-fold higher protective efficacy against canine echinococcosis transmission compared to conventional manual deworming (CMD) approaches. These results indicate that SHEP reduces labor costs and mitigates echinococcosis transmission risk, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool for disease control.
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Yang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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