The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolved in December 2019 and to prevent its spread, effective vaccines were produced and made available to the population. Despite their availability so far in Cameroon, the vaccination coverage remains low. This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of the acceptance of vaccines against COVID-19 in some urban and rural areas of Cameroon. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 targeting unvaccinated individuals from urban and rural area. After receiving appropriate administrative authorizations and an ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Douala University (N° 3070CEI-Udo/05/2022/M), a cluster sampling at many degrees was performed and a language-adapted questionnaire was completed by each consenting participant. Data were analyzed using Epi info version 7.2.2.6 software and for p-values < 0.05, the difference was considered as statistically significant. Out of 1053 individuals, 58.02% (611/1053) participants were residing in urban and 41.98% (442/1053) in rural areas. Good knowledge relative to COVID-19 was significantly higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas (97.55% vs. 85.07, p < 0.000). The proportion of respondents who intended to accept the anti COVID-19 vaccine was significantly higher in urban areas than rural areas (42.55% vs. 33.26, p = 0.0047). Conversely, the proportion of anti COVID-19 reluctant respondents thinking that the vaccine can induce a disease was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas (54 (35.07 vs. 8.84, p < 0.0001). The significant determinants of anti-COVID-19 acceptance were the level of education (p = 0.0001) and profession in the rural areas (p ≤ 0.0001), and only the profession (p = 0.0046) in the urban areas. This study globally showed that anti-COVID-19 vaccination remains a major challenge in urban as well as rural areas in Cameroon. We should continue sensitizing and educating the population about vaccine importance in preventing the COVID-19 spread.

Salmonella enterica is the principal causative agent of salmonellosis, a threat to human health. Because of its high antimicrobial resistance potential, Salmonella enterica has become worrisome, mostly in developing countries where hygiene and antimicrobial usage are defective. This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of the intestinal carriage of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase producing Salmonella enterica from chickens and poultry farmers in Dschang, a town in the western region of Cameroon. A total of 416 chickens and 72 farmers were sampled between May and October 2020; and Salmonella enterica were isolated and subjected to extended spectrum β-lactamase screening. Logistic regression was used to test for statistical associations using a p-value of ≤ 0.05. Results from this study revealed that the prevalence of the intestinal carriage of Salmonella enterica for chickens and farmers were 55.77% [51.00; 60.54] and 22.22% [12.62; 31.82], respectively. Meanwhile, the intestinal carriage of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase producing Salmonella enterica was 23.08% [13.76; 32.40] and 5.55% [0.26; 10.84] from chickens and poultry farmers, respectively. The risk factor for this carriage was revealed to be lack of knowledge by actors in livestock industries of antibiotic resistance. Chickens, just like poultry farmers, represent the starting point of community salmonellosis, which is difficult to cure; therefore, sensitization of breeders is an effective tool for the mitigation of this burden.

Background: In African countries, where the burden of neonatal sepsis is the highest, the spread of Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in the community, potentially contributing to neonatal mortality, is a public health concern. The transmission routes are not well defined, particularly the possible key role played by pregnant women. The aim of this study was to understand the neonatal acquisition of CPE in Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: A transversal analytical study was conducted in an urban area. Maternal stool samples during delivery and the first stool from their new-born were collected and cultured to isolate Enterobacteria. After isolation, characterization using API20E identification system, and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed according to the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiology. Carbapenemases detection was done on each carbapenem-resistant strain using the Modified Hodge Test (MHT) and their classification using the synergy tests with different inhibitors. Results: Out of the 55 CPE isolates identified, Escherichia coli was the most encountered bacteria both in mothers (n = 18, 50.00%) and infants (n = 11, 57.89%). Class B and D carbapenemases were found both in mothers and infants. The estimated prevalence of vertical transmission in our study, was 10% (n = 12

The Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly evolved in December 2019 and to prevent its spread, effective vaccines has been produced and made available to the population. Despite their availability so far in Cameroon, the vaccination coverage remains low. This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of the acceptance of vaccines against Covid-19 in some urban and rural areas of Cameroon. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 targeting unvaccinated individuals from urban and rural area. After getting appropriate administrative authorizations and an ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Douala University (N&deg; 3070CEI-Udo/05/2022/M), a cluster sampling at many degrees was performed and a language adapted questionnaire was filled by each consenting participant. Data were analyzed using Epi info version 7.2.2.6 software and for P-values ˂ 0.05, the difference was considered as statistically significant. Out of 1053 individuals, 58.02% (611/1053) participants were residing in urban and 41.98% (442/1053) in rural areas. Good knowledge relative to Covid-19 was significantly higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas (97.55%vs.85.07, P&lt;0.000). The proportion of respondents who intended to accept the anti Covid-19 vaccine was significantly higher in urban areas than rural areas (42.55%vs.33.26, p=0.0047). Conversely, the proportion of anti Covid-19 reluctant respondents thinking that the vaccine can induce a disease was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas (54 (35.07 vs 8.84, P&lt;0.0001). The significant determinants of anti-COVID-19 acceptance were the level of education (p=0.0001) and profession in the rural areas (p=&lt;0.0001), and only the profession (p=0.0046) in the urban areas. This study globally shows that anti-COVID-19 vaccination remains a major challenge in urban as well as rural area in Cameroon. We should keep sensitizing and educate population about vaccine importance in preventing the COVID-19 spread.

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the burden of neonatal sepsis is the highest, the spread of Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in the community, potentially contributing to the neonatal mortality, is a public health concern. Data regarding the acquisition of CPE during the perinatal period are scarce. The routes of transmission are not well defined and particularly the possible key role played by pregnant women. This study aimed to understand the neonatal acquisition of CPE in Yaounde. A transversal analytical study was conducted in an urban area. Maternal stool samples at delivery and the first stool from her new-born were collected and cultured to isolate Enterobacteriaceae. After isolation of Enterobacteriaceae, a phenotypic characterization using API20E identification system and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed according to the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiology (AC-SFM 2020). The detection and classification of carbapenemases was done on each carbapenem-resistant strains by Modified Hodge Test (MHT) and synergy tests with different inhibitors (Boronic acid and EDTA). Of the 54 CPE isolates identified, Escherichia coli was the most frequent species (n = 29, 53.70%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 12, 22.22%). Class D and class B carbapenemases (n = 27, 11.25%) were equally represented. Out of the 120 couples, the estimated prevalence of vertical transmission, based on the carriage of the same CPE strain producing enzymes of the same class in mothers and their new-borns, and the similarities in their resistance profile was 10% (n = 12). Logistic regression showed that CPE carriage in mothers and CPE acquisition in their new-borns were independently associated with the presence of greenish amniotic fluid (OR = 3.96, p < 0.0001 in mothers and OR = 3.5, p = 0.05 in new-borns), and meconial amniotic fluid (OR = 1.37, p = 0.02 in mothers and OR = 4.92, p = 0.02 in new-borns). Our results highlight the non-negligeable role played by pregnant women carriage in the neonatal acquisition of Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriaceae. The CPE, of which the most prevalent is Carbapenemase class D followed by class B; and also supported by the presence of prenatal fetal distress.