Prevalence of onchocerciasis after seven years of continuous community-directed treatment with ivermectin in the Ntui health district, Centre region, Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: onchocerciasis is one of the major infectious diseases caused by Onchocerca volvulus. This parasite is responsible for chronic cutaneous and ocular diseases affecting more than 37 million people of whom 99% are in Africa. The study was conducted in the health district of Ntui from June to September 2016 to determine the prevalence of O. volvulus infection after seven years of massive administration of ivermectin. METHODS: two cutaneous snips were made at the iliac crests level in volunteers. These tissues were incubated in physiological saline water and were examined for parasitological investigations in the laboratory. RESULTS: a total of 310 participants were randomly selected, of whom 170 (54.8%) were women and 140 (45.1%) were men aged 6 to 83 years, thus giving a sex ratio of 1.2 in favour of women. After parasitological analysis, 26 participants had microfilaraemia, of whom 15 (10.7%) were men and 11 (6.4%) were women. The most infected age group was 16 to 26 years (12.5%). The highest infection rates were found among farmers (11%) and participants living in the village of Essougly (26.6%). No significant differences in prevalence values between the different groups were noted, whatever the parameter considered. CONCLUSION: the prevalence of onchocerciasis in the health district of Ntui has declined from a hyperendemic to a hypoendemic state after seven years of massive administration of ivermectin. However, careful monitoring of onchocerciasis should be continued to prevent the area from returning to its original hyperendemicity.

Soil Contamination Rate, Prevalence, Intensity of Infection of Geohelminths and Associated Risk Factors among Residents in Bazou (West Cameroon).

BACKGROUND: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections remain an important public health problem in the tropics. This study aimed to evaluate the soil contamination rate and prevalence of infestations of geohelminth among residents in Bazou. METHODS: Four hundred (400) soil samples and 182 stool specimens were collected respectively from four sites and from inhabitants aged 1 to 40 years and above in 12 households. A questionnaire was administered to evaluate risk factors of STH-infections. Soil samples were screened using sucrose centrifugal flotation method while stool specimens were analyzed using two techniques. RESULTS: Out of the 400 soil and 182 stool samples examined, 13(3.3%) and 9(4.95%) were positive respectively after analyses. Soil contamination rates were 2%, 1% and 0.3% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm eggs respectively while 4.95% of stool samples were positive to one species nematode (Ascaris lumbricoides). The soil contamination rate observed (5%) in the rainy season was significantly different (p>0.05) from the one observed (1.5%) in the dry season. Irrespectively of the season, the most frequent parasite identified was Ascaris spp. Soils around houses were more contaminated 6(12%) as compared to those collected from markets 5(10%) and roads 2(4%) while those around classrooms were not contaminated. Participants in the age group of 1-10 were more infected. Factors such as no hand washing habit and untrimmed finger nails were found to be important risk factors for STH. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the necessity to promote measures that could help to reduce STH infections.

Prevalence and intensity of gastro-intestinal helminths in horses in the Sudano-Guinean climatic zone of Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: It is important to understand the biology and health impact of parasites affecting horses in the Western highlands of Cameroon. AIM: to evaluate the prevalence and intensity of infection of gastrointestinal helminths in these animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 894 horses (367 males and 527 females), and aged ≤1 to ≥7 years old were examined. A parasitological investigation of faeces was carried out using two techniques: concentration method of Full Born Willis (flotation in saturated solution of sodium chloride) and Mc Master Technique. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: From the results the overall prevalence was 100%. Nine species of nematode (Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Habronema sp., Strongyloides westeri, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi, Trichostrongylus axei, Cyathostome sp., Triodontophorus sp., Strongylus sp.) were identified with the prevalence of 18.48%, 16.94%, 2.99%, 6.05%, 5.22%, 7.75%, 12.49%, 1.09%, and 22.26%, respectively, and one species of cestode (Anoplocephala magna) with a prevalence of 6.73%. Strongylus sp. had the highest mean intensity of infection (1270±942) in female horses. Poly-parasitic infections (92.28%) were more common than mono-parasitic infections (7.72%).