Fokam Joseph, Takou Désiré, Nka Alex Durand, Ka'e Aude Christelle, Yagai Bouba, Ambe Chenwi Collins, Ngoufack Jagni Semengue Ezechiel, Angong Beloumou Grâce, Djupsa Ndjeyep Sandrine Claire, Abba Aissatou, Pabo Willy, Gouissi Davy, Tommo Tchouaket Michel Carlos, Yatchou Laeticia, Zam Krystel, Mama Lucien, Ekitti Regine Claudette, Fainguem Nadine, Kamgaing Rachel, Sosso Samuel Martin, Ndembi Nicaise, Colizzi Vittorio, Perno Carlo-Federico, Ndjolo Alexis
Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
J Public Health Afr. 2022 May 24;13(1):2142. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2022.2142.
In Cameroon, COVID-19 infection spread rapidly and nationwide, with up to 721 deaths reported. To the best of our knowledge, no study reported the on-theground data using a large patients' dataset to give a comprehensive knowledge on COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon. The objective of this study was to shade lights on the epidemiological, virological and clinical features of COVID-19 in the Cameroonian context. An observational study was conducted among symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR on nasopharyngeal samples from April 22, 2020 to January 5, 2021. Out of 14119 individuals (59.8% male), overall SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 12.7% (from 7.9% in <10 years to 17.3% in >60 years, p<0.001). The positivity rate of symptomatic individuals was 36.1% 9.8% among asymptomatic ones, p<0.001. Age group ≤10 [aOR (95%CI): 0.515 (0.338-0.784), p=0.002] and being symptomatic [aOR (95% CI): 5.108 (4.521-5.771), p<0.001] were predictors of SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Regarding PCR Cycle Threshold (CT), 53.8% of positive individuals had a CT <30. According to age, compared to older individuals, those aged 21-40 years showed a higher proportion with high viraemia (CT<20; 21.3% 12.5% respectively, p=0.003). Similarly, symptomatic individuals showed a higher proportion with high viraemia (22.4%), when compared to asymptomatic (13.9%); p<0.001. During this first wave of the pandemic, overall SARS-CoV-2 positivity remained high (>10%) and was associated with the presence of symptoms and older age. Most of the infection is among young and asymptomatic individuals, suggesting the " strategy should target these potential transmitters.
在喀麦隆，新冠病毒感染迅速在全国范围内传播，报告的死亡人数高达721人。据我们所知，尚无研究使用大量患者数据集报告实地数据，以全面了解喀麦隆的新冠疫情。本研究的目的是阐明喀麦隆背景下新冠病毒的流行病学、病毒学和临床特征。2020年4月22日至2021年1月5日，对有症状和无症状个体进行了一项观察性研究，这些个体通过对鼻咽样本进行聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测是否感染严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）。在14119名个体（59.8%为男性）中，SARS-CoV-2总体阳性率为12.7%（从10岁以下的7.9%到60岁以上的17.3%，p<0.001）。有症状个体的阳性率为36.1%，无症状个体为9.8%，p<0.001。年龄组≤10岁[调整后比值比（95%置信区间）：0.515（0.338 - 0.784），p = 0.002]和有症状[调整后比值比（95%置信区间）：5.108（4.521 - 5.771），p<0.001]是SARS-CoV-2阳性的预测因素。关于PCR循环阈值（CT），53.8%的阳性个体CT<30。按年龄划分，与年长者相比，21 - 40岁的人群中病毒血症高（CT<20）的比例更高（分别为21.3%和12.5%，p = 0.003）。同样，有症状个体中病毒血症高的比例（22.4%）高于无症状个体（13.9%）；p<0.001。在疫情的第一波期间，SARS-CoV-2总体阳性率仍然很高（>10%），且与症状的出现和年龄较大有关。大多数感染发生在年轻人和无症状个体中，这表明防控策略应针对这些潜在传播者。
