A Cross-sectional Study on the Influence of Altitude and Urbanisation on Co-infection of Malaria and Soil-transmitted Helminths in Fako Division, South West Cameroon

Abstract

Aims: Malaria and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are parasitic diseases afflicting populations that are impoverished and malnourished. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of altitude and urbanisation on Co-infection of malaria and soil-transmitted helminths in Fako Division, South West Cameroon. Study Design/Place and Duration of Study: It was a cross-sectional survey carried out from 2012 to 2014 involving 1138 children aged 4 -15 years in Fako Division. Methodology: Structured questionnaire was administered to obtain demographic and socioeconomic data. Blood samples were collected by pricking the finger. Malaria parasite prevalence, density and species were determined from Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears respectively. Quantitative estimation of helminth eggs was done by Kato-Katz thick smear technique. Based on height above sea level (a.s.l.), the study sites were classified as Lowland (<200 m.a.s.l), Lower middle belt (>200 but ≤ 400 m.a.s.l), Upper middle belt (>400 but ≤600 m.a.s.l.) and Highland (>600 m.a.s.l). The study communities were also classified into rural, semiurban and urban areas. Results: The overall prevalence was 38.1% (433) for malaria, 2.5% (29) for STHs and 0.9% (10) for malaria-STH co-infection. The prevalence of malaria was significantly highest (χ 2 = 84.6, P <0.001) in urban areas (52.2%, 263) than in the semi-urban (29.4%, 152) and rural areas (15.4%, 18). Malaria prevalence was significantly highest (χ 2 = 123.4, P <0.001) at the lowest altitude (60.5%, 182) and decreased as altitude increased to a minimum of 15.4% (18) at highland (>600 m.a.s.l). Only two species of soil-transmitted STH [Ascaris lumbricoides (1.9%) and Trichuris trichiura (0.6%)] were found. The prevalence of STH was significantly higher (χ 2 = 33.8, P <0.0001) in rural (13.6%, 16) than urban (0.39%, 2) areas. The prevalence of STH was significantly highest (χ 2 = 33.8, P <0.0001) at high altitude (13.6%, 16) than the upper middle-belt (2.0%, 8), lower middle-belt (1.2%, 4) and lowlands (0.7%, 2). The prevalence of co-infection varied significantly (χ 2 = 72.2, P <0.0001) with level of urbanisation with the highest level of co-infection occurring in the rural areas (2.6%, 3) and the lowest level in the urban areas (0.2%, 1). Conclusion: Malaria control measures need to be intensified especially in the lowland and urban areas. Deworming campaigns are yielding positive results in Fako Division.

Insecticide Treated Net Ownership, Utilization and Knowledge of Malaria in Children Residing in Batoke-Limbe, Mount Cameroon Area: Effect on Malariometric and Haematological Indices

“…In addition, a similar prevalence (45.47%) was reported among school children in the Littoral Region, another coastal area of the country [33]. Worthy of note is that, this prevalence is lower than the 60.5% obtained by Ndamukong-Nyanga et al [34] in a lowland study in the Mount Cameroon area. On the contrary, lower prevalence of 27.7% [35], 29.6% [14] and 32.9% [36] among a similar age group was reported in higher altitude areas, in the Mount Cameroon area and the Northern part of the country, respectively.…”

Influence of malaria, soil-transmitted helminths and malnutrition on haemoglobin level among school-aged children in Muyuka, Southwest Cameroon: A cross-sectional study on outcomes

“…The high prevalence of anaemia (75.3%) in SAC in this rural area with a significant majority (60.6%) being moderate anaemia is an indication that anaemia is a major public health problem. This prevalence was higher than those obtained by other authors in the region and elsewhere [22,37,38,42]. This probably reflects the poor state of health of children in the area.…”

“…The prevalence of STH infections was very low (2.2%) when compared with that (33.7%) of a similar study carried out in the same region two years earlier [32]. However, it is comparable to the 1% obtained in SAC in Tiko Health District [33] and 2.5% in selected rural, semi-urban and urban communities [22] all in the Mount Cameroon area. While a high burden of infection is not very common in regions targeted for elimination, the low prevalence could be as a result of the mass chemotherapy with mebendazole in school children initiated in Cameroon through the Ministry of Public Health since 2004 [5].…”

“…In most developing countries, anaemia is a public health problem and SAC are more vulnerable due to their rapid physical and physiological development [20,21]. The prevalence of anaemia among SAC in Africa ranges from 64.3% to 71% [20] and in the Mount Cameroon area it ranges from 19.8% to 44.2% [22,23]. Anaemia is considered as a public health problem (prevalence � 5%) when the Hb value is below the population specific Hb threshold.…”

Polyparasitism in School-Aged Children Living in the Schistosomiasis Endemic Focus of Muyuka-Cameroon after &gt;8 Years of Sustained Control Measures: A Cross Sectional Study

“…Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) such as schistosomiasis, a water-borne parasitic disease remains a focal disease while infection with STHs such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms are ubiquitous in developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas [6]. In the ecological settings of Mount Cameroon, the transmission of Schistosoma haematobium, Plasmodium spp., and STH is common and concurrent urogenital schistosomiasis, malaria, and or ascariasis have been reported [7,8,9]. Universal factors attributed to the co-occurrence of these infections include poor sanitation, inadequate toilet facilities, lack of potable water, and ineffective public health enlightenment programme and services [8,10].…”