[Epidemiologic and radiologic study of urinary bilharziosis in a focus at the Barombi Lakes (Mémé Department), Cameroon].

A recent epidemiological and radiological study of urinary schistosomiasis in the Barombi lake foci (South West Cameroon) shows that the intensity of the disease is very high, 76% and 50% in Barombi Kotto and Barombi Mbo respectively, when compared to the level observed by DUKE and MOORE during a five year control period, from 1970 to 1975, respectively 6.9% and 2.4% in Barombi Kotto and Barombi Mbo. The endemicity is not influenced by age or sex. On the average, the parasitic load is highest in the 5-15 years age group. Bulinus camerunensis and B. rohlfsi are the known intermediary hosts of this parasite, with an infection rate of 17.2%. B. camerunensis is the most abundant species, but B. rohlfsi is the frequently infected. The bilharzia patient had very important and very frequent lesions of the urinary system. A normal X-ray shows calcifications localised on the ureter and more often on the bladder. The frequency of these calcifications increases with age. The intravenous pyelography (IVP) shows functional (delay in secretion observed in 47% of cases) and morphological lesions (87% of the patients). Morphologically, the bladder present irregularities of the contours and the mucosa. Irregular contours of the ureters with strictures, including dilation and stenosis, are observed. On the kidney, dilated calyces (hydronephrosis due to obstruction on lower side) are evident. There does not seem to be any relation between the number of eggs discharged by the patient and the importance or frequency of lesions observed in a normal X-ray or IVP.