ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes mellitus remains a global public health challenge despite advances in medicine, with Cameroon harboring about half a million patients. Electrolyte imbalance has been reported to contribute to the complications observed in diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate electrolyte disturbances in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients under follow up in two health facilities (Dschang District Hospital and Bafoussam Regional Hospital) of the West Region of Cameroon.Methods: The study involved 200 T2D patients and 50 non-diabetic control subjects. A questionnaire was used to acquire demographic, anthropometric, clinical and psychosocial data. Fasting blood samples were collected for the determination of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin, calcium, potassium and sodium levels. The diabetic population was divided into two and three groups according to their glycated hemoglobin and FPG levels respectively. The Student’s t-test was used to compare mean values between patients and controls, while the chi square test was used to assess for differences between categorical variables. The significance level was set at 5%.Results: Almost all diabetic patients were diagnosed of hypernatremia (98%) versus 70% for the control group (p<0.001). There was no record of hyponatremia. Hypercalcemia was observed in 30% of the diabetic patients and hypocalcemia in 48%. The prevalence of hyperkalemia was comparable between patients and controls, while control subjects tended to be more hypokalemic (p=0.038). For all three electrolytes investigated, more than 70% of the imbalances were observed in patients with hyperglycemia when compared to patients having normal FPG or hypoglycemia.Conclusions: Electrolyte imbalance is common in type 2 diabetic patients from the West Region of Cameroon, especially those presenting with hyperglycemia.
ABSTRACT
HIV and AIDS are major public health problems in Cameroon where the HIV prevalence is 5.5. Candidiasis is the leading opportunistic mycosis in HIV and AIDS patients. The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro antifungal susceptibility pattern of Candida albicans in HIV and AIDS patients to eight antifungal agents in the Nylon Health District of Douala in Cameroon. Three hundred and four HIV and AIDS patients were recruited between March and August 2007 to participate in a cross-sectional study. All subjects who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects before samples were collected. Three samples comprising oral swabs; vagina/urethra swabs and a mid-stream urine were collected from each subject. Specimens were cultured on sabouraud dextrose agar and C. albicans isolates were identified using the germ tube technique. The disk diffusion method was used for antifungal susceptibility testing using eight antifungal agents. The prevalence of candidiasis in the study population was 67.8 (95 CI: 62.5-73.1) and that of C. albicans was 42.8 (95 CI: 37.2-48.4). Oral swabs had the highest prevalence of C. albicans followed by vaginal/urethral samples (52.6 vs. 29.7) subjects had C. albicans infection at more than one collection site. There was a statistically significant difference in the infectivity of C. albicans with age; sex and site of infection (P0.05). C. albicans isolates were most sensitive to ketoconazole (80) followed by econazole (64.6) while fluconazole and 5-flurocytosin recorded the poorest sensitivities (22.9 vs 24.6; respectively). There was a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity pattern of antifungal agents with respect to the site of isolation of the organism (P0.05). Ketoconazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of C. albicans infection in HIV and AIDS patients in the Nylon Health District of Douala; Cameroon
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Antifungal Agents , Candida albicans , HIV Infections , HospitalsABSTRACT
Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular protozoan; Toxoplasma gondii; which has a wide geographical distribution. The congenital form results in a gestational form that can present a temporary parasiteamia that will infect the fetus. For this reason early diagnosis in pregnancy is highly desirable; allowing prompt intervention in cases of infection. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among pregnant women attending the Douala General Hospital. The study was carried out between March and July 2009; whereby 110 pregnant women were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies and information about eating habits and hygienic conditions was collected using a questionnaire. These women's ages ranged from 20-44 years old with an average of 29.9 years; the overall IgG and IgM seroprevalence was 70and 2.73respectively. Seroprevalence was significantly high amongst women who ate raw vegetables (76.39; P0.05) and there was a significant trend towards a higher seroprevalence in women who did not have a good source of water (75.58; P0.05). This research showed that consumption raw vegetables and poor quality drinking water are two risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection amongst pregnant women attending the Douala General Hospital in Cameroon
Subject(s)
Pregnant Women , Risk Factors , Seroepidemiologic Studies , ToxoplasmosisABSTRACT
Genital mycoplasmas are implicated in pelvic inflammatory diseases; puerperal infection; septic abortions; low birth weight; nongonococcal urethritis and prostatitis as well as spontaneous abortion and infertility in women. There is paucity of data on colonisation of genital mycoplasma in women and their drug sensitivity patterns. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of genital mycoplasmas (Ureaplasma urealiticum and Mycoplasma hominis) infection and their drug sensitivity patterns in women. A mycofast kit was used for biochemical determination of mycoplasma infection in 100 randomly selected female patients aged 19-57 years; attending the University of Yaounde Teaching Hospital (UYTH) from March to June 2010. Informed consent was sought and gained before samples were collected. Genital mycoplasmas were found in 65 patients (65) [95CI=55.7-74.3] and distributed as 41 (41) [95CI=31.4-50.6] for U. urealiticum and 4 (4) [95CI=0.20-7.8] for M. hominis while there was co-infection in 20 women (20) [95CI=12.16-27.84]. In our study; 57 (57) [95CI=47.3- 67] had other organisms; which included C. albicans (19 [19]); G. vaginalis (35 [35]) and T. vaginalis (3 [3]). Among the 65 women with genital mycoplasma; the highest co-infection was with G. vaginalis (33.8). Pristinamycine was the most effective antibiotic (92) and sulfamethoxazole the most resistant (8) antibiotic to genital mycoplasmas. We concluded that genital mycoplasma is a problem in Cameroon and infected women should be treated together with their partners