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Background. It is unknown whether the presence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in umbilical cord blood denotes activation of complement and oxidative stress to affect the duration of pregnancy and birth weight. Methods. In a cross-sectional study conducted from January to April 2019 in Bamenda, Cameroon, cord blood samples were collected from 300 women at delivery. Parasitaemia was determined microscopically. Babies’ weight and age of gestation were recorded. Plasma levels of complement and oxidative stress were measured by specific tests. Results. Cord blood malaria prevalence was 21.33%. Babies with an infected cord showed a low birth weight and gestation age than those with uninfected cords. More babies with infected cords had LBW (6.25%) compared to the counterparts (5.50%). The levels of parasitaemia and the babies’ weight showed a weak positive correlation. The prevalence of preterm and postterm birth was 4.33% and 24.33% respectively, with a weak negative correlation between the age of gestation and the umbilical cord parasitaemia. There was correlation between cord parasitaemia and levels of complement haemolytic activity titter (CH50) and specific classical pathway activity (CPA) in cord blood. CH50 and CPA levels, however, were significantly higher in infected cord blood samples, compared with uninfected cord blood samples. CH50 showed a negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood samples. The levels of total oxidative stress (TOS) and total antioxidant defense were significantly lower in infected cord blood than uninfected. TOS displayed a positive correlation with the density of parasitaemia and a weak negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood. Conclusion. Cord blood infection lowers the complement haemolytic titter, oxygen radicals and total antioxidant defense in neonates. This lowering of complement haemolytic titter and oxygen radical compounds in umbilical cord malaria are associated with low birth weight and preterm birth.

Background: The Kato-Katz is the most common diagnostic method for Schistosoma mansoni infection. However, the dayto- day variability in host egg-excretion and its low detection sensitivity are major limits for its use in low transmission zones and after widespread chemotherapy. We evaluated the accuracy of circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) urine-assay as a diagnostic tool of S. mansoni. In comparison, a low sensitive CCA test (CCA-L) was assessed. Methodology: The study was conducted in three settings: two foci with single S. mansoni infections (settings A and B), and one mixed S. mansoni - S. haematobium focus (setting C). Stool and urine samples were collected from school-children on three consecutive days. Triplicate Kato-Katz readings were performed per stool sample. Each urine sample was tested with one CCA and only the first urine sample was subjected to CCA-L. Urine samples were also examined for S. haematobium eggs using the filtration method and for microhaematuria using urine reagent strips. Overall, 625 children provided three stool and three urine samples. Principal Findings: Considering nine Kato-Katz thick smears as 'reference' diagnostic test, the prevalence of S. mansoni was 36.2%, 71.8% and 64.0% in settings A, B and C, respectively. The prevalence of S. haematobium in setting C was 12.0%. The sensitivities of single Kato-Katz, CCA and CCA-L from the first stool or urine samples were 58%, 82% and 46% in setting A, 56.8%, 82.4% and 68.8% in setting B, and 49.0%, 87.7% and 55.5% in setting C. The respective specificities were 100%, 64.7% and 100%; 100%, 62.3% and 91.3%; and 100%, 42.5% and 92.0%. Mixed infection with S. haematobium did not influence the CCA test results for S. mansoni diagnosis. Conclusions/Significance: Urine CCA revealed higher sensitivity than CCA-L and triplicate Kato-Katz, and produced similar prevalence as nine Kato-Katz. It seems an attractive method for S. mansoni diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are widely distributed in Cameroon. Although mass drug administration (MDA) of mebendazole is implemented nationwide, treatment with praziquantel was so far limited to the three northern regions and few health districts in the southern part of Cameroon, based on previous mapping conducted 25 years ago. To update the disease distribution map and determine where treatment with praziquantel should be extended, mapping surveys were conducted in three of the seven southern regions of Cameroon, i.e. Centre, East and West. Methodology: Parasitological surveys were conducted in April-May 2010 in selected schools in all 63 health districts of the three targeted regions, using appropriate research methodologies, i.e. Kato-Katz and urine filtration. Principal Findings: The results showed significant variation of schistosomiasis and STH prevalence between schools, villages, districts and regions. Schistosoma mansoni was the most prevalent schistosome species, with an overall prevalence of 5.53%, followed by S. haematobium (1.72%) and S. guineensis (0.14%). The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis across the three regions was 7.31% (95% CI: 6.86-7.77%). The prevalence for Ascaris lumbricoides was 11.48 (95% CI: 10.93-12.04%), Trichuris trichiura 18.22% (95% CI: 17.56-18.90%) and hookworms 1.55% (95% CI: 1.35-1.78%), with an overall STH prevalence of 24.10% (95% CI: 23.36-24.85%) across the three regions. STH was more prevalent in the East region (46.57%; 95% CI: 44.41-48.75%) in comparison to the Centre (25.12; 95% CI: 24.10-26.17%) and West (10.49%; 95% CI: 9.57-11.51%) regions. Conclusions/Significance: In comparison to previous data, the results showed an increase of schistosomiasis transmission in several health districts, whereas there was a significant decline of STH infections. Based on the prevalence data, the continuation of annual or bi-annual MDA for STH is recommended, as well as an extension of praziquantel in identified moderate and high risk communities for schistosomiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ivermectin-based preventive chemotherapy (PC) is distributed annually to all at-risk populations eligible for ivermectin treatment to control and/or eliminate onchocerciasis. Information on the impact of mass ivermectin administration on onchocerciasis transmission is scanty, and it is tricky to appreciate the progress towards elimination and engage corrective measures. To fill that gap in the Centre Region in Cameroon, the current onchocerciasis endemicity level in the Ndikinimeki Health District after about two decades of mass treatments was assessed. Methods: A cluster-based cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Ndikinimeki Health District and all volunteers aged ≥ 5 years were (i) interviewed on their compliance to ivermectin over the past five years and (ii) underwent clinical (nodule palpation and visual search for onchocercal lesions) and parasitological examinations (skin snip) for onchocerciasis. Results: The overall Onchocerca volvulus prevalence was 7.0% (95% CI: 5.2–9.3%). The prevalence of the disease was significantly higher in the communities Kiboum 1 and Kiboum 2 compared to the other communities (highest prevalence in Makénéné Town Water: 8.5%; 95% CI: 2.3–20.4%) (χ2 = 51.314, df = 11, P = 0.0001). The proportion of systematic non-compliers to ivermectin was 23.3% (95% CI: 19.9–27.1%) among individuals interviewed. In the sentinel sites (Kiboum communities), onchocerciasis prevalence decreased from 95.2% (95% CI: 88.3–98.1%) to 23.7% (95% CI: 14.7–36.0%). Conclusions: This study has revealed that the Ndikinimeki Health District is hypo-endemic for onchocerciasis after about two decades of preventive chemotherapy. However, transmission is ongoing, with potential hotspots in the Kiboum 1 and Kiboum 2 communities, which are known as first-line communities (closest to the breeding sites of the vector). Alternative or complementary strategies to annual ivermectin appear compulsory to accelerate the momentum towards onchocerciasis elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Cameroon. With all efforts being made to eliminate malaria, it is imperative to describe the epidemiology of the disease in different parts of the country in order to inform control policies. This study aimed to present the differences in the prevalence and intensity of malaria and the anaemic status of children living in different areas of the North West region of Cameroon., Materials and Methods: This study was carried out from April 2016-July 2017. Blood samples were collected from children via finger pricking. Stained thick and thin blood films were examined through microscopy (x100) to detect the presence of parasites and to estimate the geometric mean parasite density (GMPD). Packed cell volume (PCV) values were determined by micro-centrifugation. Data was analysed using SPSS to determine proportions and test for significance levels between these., Results: Overall prevalence of malaria was 45.3%. Awing and Obang recorded the highest prevalence while Mankon and Nkwen recorded the lowest (p=0.01). The GMPD of infection was highly heterogeneous between the different localities (p=0.03). Age significantly affected the prevalence of malaria (p=0.02). Sex did not affect the prevalence nor the GMPD of malaria infection (p>0.05). Overall mean PCV value was 32.9±3.9. Localities in urban settings recorded the highest mean PCV values compared to those in rural settings (p=0.68). Sex and age did not affect mean PCV values (p>0.05)., Conclusion: Malaria still remains a major problem in the North West region of Cameroon. Malaria control interventions should therefore be based on evident spatial and temporal heterogeneity of Plasmodium species in a particular area so as not to waste resources that would only be of limited effectiveness and value to the populations at risk., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Eyong et al.)