BackgroundSnakebite has only recently been recognized as a neglected tropical disease by the WHO. Knowledge regarding snakebites and its care is poor both at the population level, and at the health care staff level. The goal of this study was to describe the level of knowledge and clinical practice regarding snakebite among health care staff from Cameroon.MethodsA two-day training dedicated to snakebite and its care was organized in 2015 in Yaoundé, capital city of Cameroon. A total of 98 health care staff from all over Cameroon attended the training. Prior to and after the training, an evaluation quantified the attendees’ level of knowledge. Pre- and post-training evaluations were compared to assess knowledge improvement.ResultsOverall, prior to the training knowledge regarding snakebite and care was poor, and wrong beliefs that “pierre noire” or tourniquet were useful in case of snakebite were common. Knowledge was statistically improved after the training.ConclusionTrainings dedicated to all type of health care staff towards snakebite to improve care are needed, this training must take into consideration the context and the targeted population.

Background In Cameroon, since the first epidemiological week held in 2015, snakebites have been registered among Potential Epidemic Diseases (PED). In the Centre Region, the most densely populated of the country, weekly reports of snakebites are generated at health districts level for monthly data updates. Methods To contribute to the better management of snakebite cases, an observational study was conducted to assess the snakebite reporting rate in the Centre Region of Cameroon. The results of this retro-prospective survey were confronted to those of the weekly epidemiological surveillance system, recorded in the PED regional data base. Results The incidence of bites was relatively high (36.6 bites per 100,000 inhabitants), as well as the general attack rate (about 49 envenomations per 100 victims). The lethality recorded was 2.5% and the mortality was about 1 death per 100,000 inhabitants a year. The sex ratio was largely female biased (61.6%). The bites occurred mostly during the rainy season (73.0%). Bitten victims were mainly farmers (47.4%), and agriculture was the main risk factor. The comparative analysis of the data suggested a high non-reporting rate of snakebite cases (67.8%). Conclusion Snakebite is an endemic condition in the Centre Region of Cameroon. Because of the high rate of non-reporting of cases, the collection of information from the registers of the health facilities only appears not enough to assess the real importance of envenomation in this Region.

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) first appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan, China and has subsequently become a worldwide pandemic. During the pandemic, health care workers (HCWs) were very exposed to COVID-19 infected patients. The aim of this study was to determine seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) among HCWs in three health facilities of Yaounde. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 368 HCWs was conducted from January 18th to February 13th, 2021, in three health facilities located in city of Yaounde. Data of study participants were collected by face-to-face interviews using standard questionnaire. Blood samples were collected in labelled dry tubes and analyzed using Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) cassettes (Abbott PanbioTMCOVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Device). The data collected was analyzed using Epi info version 7. Any value of p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The average age was 30.25 (SD±10.43) years old, range from 21 to 72 years old. Overall, the positivity rates of IgM, IgG and IgM+IgG were 6.79% (n=25), 17.93% (n=66) and 1.09% (n=4) respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that, the rate of IgM positivity was highest in laboratory personnel (χ2= 7.99, p=0.3) and IgG (χ2= 8.50, p=0.29), IgM+IgG (χ2= 1.92, p=0.26) respectively in pharmacy and clinical personnel. The clinical signs such as fever (˃38°C) or history of fever was statistically significant with IgM (χ2=11.71, p= 0.0006) while, sore throat was statistically significant associated with IgM (χ2= 14.3, p= 0.0008) and IgG (χ2= 6.33, p= 0.04). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a high seroprevalence of circulation of the virus in hospital milieu in Yaounde suggesting the continuation of the COVID-19 « Track-Test-Treat » system to break the chain of transmission.

Background: Malaria is a major public health problem in countries with limited resources. This morbid and fatal infection mainly affects vulnerable groups with weak immunity, such as children and pregnant women. In pregnant women, malaria leads to the occurrence of anaemia with the consequences of abortion, low birth weight (LBW) of the child and death of the baby. This study aimed to determine the Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending the Bafang district hospital (BDH). Methods: A hospital based quantitative cross-sectional and descriptive study were conducted from May 30th, to June 24th, 2022 among 156 pregnant women attending the BDH, West Region of Cameroon. All pregnant women consented to participate in the study without any constraint. Blood samples were collected, thick film and stained blood smear examined for Plasmodium trophozoites and gametocytes respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using Epi Info v. 7 software with any p-value<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The age of the study participants ranged from 14 to 48 years old (mean age of 27.41 ± 6.67 years). Of the 156 pregnant women tested, 25% (95% CI: 18.42%-32.55%) were infected with P. falciparum, infection was high in pregnant women aged < 30 years old (66.67%), in non-salaried (82.05%), in pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy (48.72%) with no difference statistically significant (p-value<0.05). Furthermore, the use of mosquito nets (OR= 3.88, 95% CI: 1.78-8.43, p-value=0.0003), taking intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) (OR= 2, 95, 95% CI: 1.31-6.59, p-value=0.006) and the number of IPT doses (p-value=0.0006) were risk factors statistically associated with P. falciparum infection. Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of P. falciparum among pregnant women attending BDH. The use of mosquito nets, the taking of IPT were the factors statistically associated with the infection.

Background: The burden of Helicobacter pylori infection (HPI) remains very high in sub Saharan Africa (SSA) with varying levels of prevalence among children and adults reported in different regions of the continent like Cameroon. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pilory (H. pilory) and to identify risk factors among symptomatic patients attending Ad-Lucem Obobogo Hospital. Methods: From January 18th, to March 22nd, 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 142 gastritis symptomatic patients (children and adults) aged between 10 to 81years old attending Ad-Lucem Obobogo Hospital in Yaounde, Cameroon. Data were collected using well-structured questionnaire containing general characteristics of study participants and risk factors. Blood and fresh stool samples were performed for the presence of H. pylori antibody in sera, antigen in stool using qualitative rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). The data were performed using Epi-info version 7 with P˂ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age was 36.42years old (standard deviation: ±14.85) and the females were more represented with 61.97% (88/142). Overall, the rate of IgG antibodies and stool antigen were detected in 66.90% (95/142), and 29.58% (42/142), respectively. The antigen prevalence (31.48% versus 28.41%) Odds Ratio (OR) =0.9 (0.46-2.05), P=0.84 and antibodies (75.92% versus 61.36%), OR=2 (0.93-4.23), P=0.07 were more detected in males than the females respectively. The antigen had the highest prevalence within range age (40-54) years (P=0.41) and antibody had the highest prevalence within range age ≥55years old (P=0.45). The multivariate analysis shows that, the risk factors such as education level and source of cooking water were statistically associated with HPI (P=0.02). Conclusion: This result shows the high prevalence of HPI among patients attending Ad-Lucem Obobogo Hospital in Yaounde. The risk factors such as education level and source of cooking water were significantly associated for this infection.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common infectious pathogens worldwide particularly in sub Saharan African (SSA). In Cameroon, HBV is highly endemic (HBsAg >8%), suggesting a rigorous transfusion safety policy on the national territory. This study aimed to determine HBs antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence of the HBV in blood donors using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent (ELISA) at the Essos Hospital Centre (EHC) in Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: From January, 18th to May 31st, 2021, we carried out a quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study among 326 volunteer blood donors attending EHC of Yaounde, Cameroon. The socio-demographic data of the participants was described while the surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) was determined using qualitative ELISA (Rapid Labs HBsAg) technique in the sera or plasma. The data was analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v. 22. The difference between two proportions was considered significant when the probability of error was less than 0.05 (p<0.05).     Results: The median age of blood donors was 25 years (min-max: 12-52 years), the male were more represented with 96.32% (314/326) and the sex ratio (M/F) was 26.2. Globally, the HBsAg seroprevalence among blood donors was 13.19% (95% CI: 9.7%-17.4%; 43/326). The seroprevalence of HBV (HBsAg) was not statistically associated with sociodemographic characteristics of the study population (p<0.05). Meanwhile, this seroprevalence was high in male (95.35%; n=41), in the blood donors aged between 18 and 26 years old (51.16%; n=22), in single (83.72%; n=36) in blood donors with secondary education (74.42%; n=32). In addition, informal (55.81%; n=24), catholic (100.0%) and family blood donors (100.0%) were more infected. Conclusion: This study revealed a very high HBs antigen seroprevalence in blood donors attending the EHC in Yaounde, Cameroon. However, none of the sociodemographic characteristics was not significantly associated with HBV infection in the study population. Thus, reducing the frequency of post-transfusion hepatitis B remains a permanent challenge in Cameroon.