Soil-transmitted helminths and plasmodium falciparum malaria among individuals living in different agroecosystems in two rural communities in the mount Cameroon area: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundSoil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and Plasmodium falciparum infections remain public health problems in Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Mount Cameroon area to determine the prevalence and intensity of STHs and P. falciparum infections in individuals living in different agroecosystems; to assess the influence of these infections on haematological parameters; and to identify the risk factors associated with STH infections.MethodsSTH and malaria parasites were detected using the Kato-Katz method and Giemsa staining of blood films, respectively. Complete blood count values were obtained using an automatic haematology analyser. Soil samples were analysed using the sucrose floatation sedimentation method. Categorical and continuous variables were compared as required and logistic regression models were used to assess the risk factors for STH infections and anaemia.ResultsOf the 450 participants examined, STHs, P. falciparum and mixed co-infections were detected in 14.0, 33.3 and 5.6% of participants, respectively. Significantly higher prevalences of Ascaris (18.8%) and Trichuris (7.9%) infections were observed in participants from tea plantation areas compared to those from banana and palm plantation areas, with similar trends in egg density. P. falciparum prevalence and parasite density were comparable between the different agroecosystems. The overall prevalence of anaemia was 64.2%. The prevalence of haematological manifestations such as moderate (48.0%) and severe (8.0%) anaemia, leucopenia (26.9%) and microcytosis (30.8%) was significantly higher among Plasmodium-STH co-infected participants. Soil samples from plantations showed the highest prevalences of STH eggs compared to soil samples from areas around pit toilets and public water taps. Living in a tea plantation area (OR = 3.07), age (AOR = 1.49) and lack of access to potable water (OR = 2.25) were identified as risk factors for STH infections, while the age groups 15–25 years (OR = 2.928) and 26–35 years (OR = 2.832), and being female (OR = 2.671) were significant risk factors for anaemia.ConclusionsSTHs, malaria and anaemia are still of public health concern in plantation communities. Co-infections negatively influence haematological parameters. The tea farming agroecosystem, age and lack of access to potable water were identified as significant risk factors for STH infections.Trial registrationNot applicable.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-017-0266-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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 health of school-age children (SAC) is usually compromised by common diseases such as malaria (which remains a considerable public health problem in much of the tropics and subtropics) and helminthiasis [2][3][4]. In Cameroon, malaria and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are both widespread and are accountable for increased morbidities and associated consequences in vulnerable populations, including SAC [5][6][7][8].…”

“…School age children rather than preschool children or adults, are most at risk of Plasmodium helminth co-infection and thereby at greatest risk of the consequences of co-infection [3]. Co-infections with helminth and malaria parasites have negative impact upon host and synergisms between multiple parasite species infections and infection intensity are known to exacerbate anaemia [3,8,11]. STH infections can accelerate or exacerbate malnutrition hence infections with STH and malaria parasite could singly or combined be contributing factors of malnutrition and/or anaemia as shown by several studies [12][13][14][15].…”

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

“…Concomitant Plasmodium and helminth (S. haematobium and STHs) infections are common in parts of South-West Cameroon (8,36,37), due to geographic overlap of climatic and socio-economic conditions that support survival of the malaria parasite vectors, egg and larval development of Polyparasitism occurred in 19.9% of the children although the prevalence of single infection was more common with similar occurrence of S. haematobium and P. falciparum infection. This polyparasitism prevalence in SAC is higher than the 7.6% observed in Mbam and Inoubou Division, within the Centre Region of Cameroon [38], 11.2% in Ghana [39] and lower than the 30% and 28% observed in Kenya [40,41].…”

“…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].…”

Malaria and intestinal parasite co-infections and impact on haematological parameters among people living with HIV in Buea, Southwest Cameroon

“…Although, ART in combination with cotrimoxazole confers a level of immunity to infections in PLWH, it has been reported to have adverse effects on the red blood cell indices of these patients, thereby causing anaemia [19]. Although malaria and intestinal parasites as well as ART are known etiological factors in anaemia [20,21,15,10], the extent to which their interaction might enhance the risk of the haematological abnormalities merits further investigations. Previous studies have reported on the in uence of malaria/HIV co-infection on the occurrence of anaemia [22,18,10].…”