The incidence of feco-oral parasites in street-food vendors in Buea, south-west region Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: The street-food industry lacks legal recognition, it operates in unstable and precarious conditions, involving women and men with minimal or no knowledge of hygienic food handling practices. Infective eggs, bacteria, toxins and cysts of faecal orally transmissible parasites are common agents responsible for food contamination in developing countries. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of digestive faecal-oral parasites among street-food vendors in Buea, South-west region of Cameroon, METHODS: From March to May 2009, physical and laboratory analysis of stool samples of 150 randomly selected street-food vendors, residing in four different zones in the municipality were carried out. Information on environmental and personal hygiene was also collected. RESULTS: Results revealed that 56.7% of the sampled population was infected with faecal-oral parasites. The major faecal-oral parasites detected in stool samples were: Entamoeba coli (14.0%), Entamoeba histolytica (12.67%), Ascaris lumbricoides (11.33%), Ankylostoma duodenalis (10.67%). Childcare activities, lack of deworming, poor personal hygiene, poor sanitary and toilet facilities, were factors promoting the spread of faecal-oral infections. CONCLUSION: Food vendors should be educated on personal hygiene and safe food handling measures. Regulatory procedures on environmental hygiene and regular medical and paramedical follow up of food vendors should be enforced.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection among Pregnant Women in Cameroon

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

Antiretroviral Treatment and Level of Transaminase in HIV-infected Out-Patients Attending the Central Hospital of Yaounde; Cameroon

The emergence of liver diseases as one of the major causes of death in people infected with HIV has paralleled the introduction of more effective antiretroviral therapies. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the effects of antiretroviral treatment on liver enzymes (SGOT and SGPT) in patients placed on antiretroviral therapy. A prospective cross-sectional 3 years study was carried out among patients confirmed to be HIV positive and who were to be placed on antiretroviral drugs at the HIV/AIDS out patient clinic of the Yaounde Central Hospital; Cameroon. Levels of transaminases of patients were measured in four phases using the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) protocol. Of the 150 patients who participated in the study; 54.0( 81/150) presented with elevated transaminase at the final phase of the study with respect to aspartate aminotransferase (AST); 77.78(63/81) of whose AST levels only increased after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). 22.67(34/150) presented with elevated transaminase with respect to alanine aminotransferase (ALT). At the final phase; 70.58of whose ALT levels only increased after HAART initiation. Increase in blood transaminase levels was statistically independent on age group and the drug combinations. Increase in AST levels was associated with an increase in ALT levels upon treatment (r = 0.58). There was a significant positive linear relationship between duration of treatment and concentration of transaminases over the years (r= 0.9). We therefore concluded that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with low level hepatotoxicity at therapy initiation; regardless of drug class or combination