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

Autor: Tsapi EM; Evangelical University of Cameroon, Bandjoun, Cameroon., Todjom FG; Research Unit of Biology and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Gamago GA; Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon., Pone JW; Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon., Teukeng FFD; Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Pan African medical journal [Pan Afr Med J] 2020 Jul 14; Vol. 36, pp. 180. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Jul 14 (Print Publication: 2020).
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2020.36.180.20765
Abstrakt: 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.
Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
(Copyright: Estelle Makou Tsapi et al.)
Databáze: MEDLINE