Schistosomiasis among pregnant women in Njombe-Penja health district, Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with endemic foci in Cameroon. Epidemiological data on schistosomiasis in pregnancy are scarce in the country. This study describes the prevalence, diversity and factors associated with schistosomiasis in pregnant women in Njombe-Penja where schistosomiasis was first reported in 1968. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and eighty-two (282) pregnant women were enrolled at first antenatal consultation between April and December 2016. A questionnaire was used to document socio-economic and obstetric information. Stool and terminal urine samples were collected and analysed using Kato-Katz/Formol-Ether concentration techniques and centrifugation methods respectively. Haemoglobin concentration was measured from finger prick blood, using an URIT®-12 electronic haemoglobinometer. Bivariate and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses with Epi-Info version 7.2.1.0. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 31.91%. Schistosoma guineensis, S. haematobium and S. mansoni infections were found in 0.35% (n = 1), 4.96% (n = 14) and 28.01% (n = 79) of participants, respectively. Co-infection with two species of Schistosoma was found in 4.44% of these women. The prevalence of this disease was significantly higher in younger women (≤ 20 years old) and among residents of Njombe. All S. haematobium infected women were anemic and infection was associated with significantly lower haemoglobin levels (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of schistosomiasis is high among pregnant women in Njombe-Penja, with some adverse effects on blood levels. Three Schistosoma species were found. Female of childbearing age should be considered for mass drug administration.

Activity of Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus s.s.

The biological activities of essential oils from three plants grown in Cameroon: Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus were tested against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry analyses showed that the main compounds are geranial, 1,8-cineole and linalool in C. citratus, O. canum and O. basilicum, respectively. Larvicidal tests carried out according to the protocol recommended by the World Health Organization showed that the essential oil of leaves of C. citratus is the most active against larvae of An. funestus (LC50 values = 35.5 ppm and 34.6 ppm, respectively, for larval stages III and IV after 6 h of exposure). Besides, the in vitro anti-plasmodial activity evaluated by the radioisotopic method showed that the C. citratus oil is the most active against P. falciparum, with an IC50 value of 4.2 ± 0.5 µg/mL compared with O. canum (20.6 ± 3.4 µg/mL) and O. basilicum (21 ± 4.6 µg/mL). These essential oils can be recommended for the development of natural biocides for fighting the larvae of malaria vectors and for the isolation of natural products with anti-malarial activity.