Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Jan 11;15(1):e0008978. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008978. eCollection 2021 Jan.
Urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) caused by S. haematobium has enormous reproductive health consequences including infertility. Reproductive aged individuals are a neglected group and not included in control programs in Cameroon. This study investigated the prevalence and severity of S. haematobium infection in the context of gender and socio-economic structures that shape behaviour among reproductive aged individuals living in Tiko, a semi-urban setting, Cameroon.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Tiko Health District (THD) between May to September 2019. Consenting individuals were enrolled using a convenient sampling technique and administered a semi-structured questionnaire to document data on socio-demographic and stream contact behaviour. A urine sample was collected and screened for the presence of S. haematobium ova using reagent strips, filtration and microscopy. The overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 22.8% (95% CL: 19.27-26.73) with geometric mean egg load of 18.74 (range: 1-1600) per 10ml of urine. Younger age group (15 - 20years) (OR: 5.13; 95% CL: 1.35-19.42), male (OR: 2.60 3.07; 95% CL: 1.54-4.40) and awareness of UGS (OR: 1.73; 95% CL: 1.02-2.95) were associated with higher odds of exposure to infection. Significantly higher intensity of infection was seen in males, singles and in the age group 15-30 years. It is worth noting that males carried out more activities which entailed longer duration in streams.
CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The prevalence obtained shows that Tiko is a moderate-risk area for UGS with underlying morbidity-inducing infection intensity. The severity of the infection is more in males. Awareness of the disease is not enough to protect these communities from infection, but provision of public infrastructures and health education will limit contact with infested water and thus curtail the infection. There is an urgent need to involve all age groups in control programs.
由埃及血吸虫引起的泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病（UGS）对生殖健康造成巨大影响，包括不孕。生殖年龄段的个体是一个被忽视的群体，在喀麦隆的控制项目中并不包括他们。本研究在性别和社会经济结构的背景下，调查了在喀麦隆半城市环境的蒂科，生殖年龄段个体中埃及血吸虫感染的流行率和严重程度，这些结构影响了他们的行为。
方法/主要发现：2019 年 5 月至 9 月在蒂科卫生区（THD）进行了一项横断面研究。采用便利抽样技术招募同意的个体，并进行半结构问卷调查，记录社会人口统计学和溪流接触行为的数据。采集尿液样本，使用试剂条、过滤和显微镜检查尿液样本中是否存在埃及血吸虫卵。埃及血吸虫感染的总流行率为 22.8%（95%CL：19.27-26.73），几何平均卵负荷为 18.74（范围：1-1600）/10ml 尿液。年龄较小的组（15-20 岁）（OR：5.13；95%CL：1.35-19.42）、男性（OR：2.60-3.07；95%CL：1.54-4.40）和对 UGS 的认识（OR：1.73；95%CL：1.02-2.95）与感染的暴露风险增加相关。在男性、单身和 15-30 岁年龄组中，观察到感染强度显著增加。值得注意的是，男性从事更多需要在溪流中更长时间的活动。
结论/意义：获得的流行率表明，蒂科是一个 UGS 中度风险地区，具有潜在的导致发病的感染强度。感染的严重程度在男性中更高。对疾病的认识不足以保护这些社区免受感染，但提供公共基础设施和健康教育将限制与受感染水的接触，从而减少感染。迫切需要将所有年龄段的个体纳入控制项目中。
