Review of the Situation of Human African Trypanosomiasis in the Republic of Congo From the 1950s to 2020

Bemba, Irina; Bamou, Roland; Lenga, Arsene; Okoko, Aline; Awono-Ambene, Parfait; Antonio-Nkondjio, Christophe

doi:10.1093/jme/tjab225

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Furthermore, we found that the participants aged more than 15 years were more infected by HAT compared to the other age groups. HAT cases was significantly predominant in Mindouli and Mpouya districts, with a high risk of the infection, confirming what has been reported previously [ 12 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Many studies reported that the Glossina species identified as the main vector of the T. b. gambiense infection in Congo feed on both human and animal and always display infectivity [ 12 ]. All this suggests that more efforts are still needed for the eradication of the disease in these districts, both in human and animal population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The localities of Loudima, Ngabe, and Mpouya are at the forefront of the transmission [ 11 ]. A significant decrease of HAT transmission has been reported across the country, may be due to the results of improved case detection, management and vector control activities and the improvement of infrastructure like roads [ 12 ]. However, there is a still great challenge in determining the real epidemiological situation of HAT infections in remote areas, mainly the villages of the foci at risk due to the difficulty of access.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Risk factors and prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis in individuals living in remote areas of the republic of Congo

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is one of the world’s classical neglected tropical diseases representing a major public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa. Although the parasitic disease is in decline in the Republic of Congo, the better understanding of the epidemiological situation of active foci is required to reduce the risk of disease resurgence which could impede progress registered so far. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HAT and the associated risk factors in individuals living in remote areas of the Republic of Congo. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out in volunteers living in rural settings from June 2020 to January 2021. Socio-demographic and Clinical parameters of the participants were recorded. The presence of HAT-specific antibodies was assessed in whole blood, and then confirmed in serial diluted plasma samples using Card-Agglutination Trypanosomiasis Test (CATT)/T.b. gambiense CATT. The Capillary Tube Centrifugation (CTC) and Lymph nodes (LN) examination were done for detecting trypanosome parasites in CATT-serum positive cases. The staging of positive participants was determined by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. Results Out of 8556 enrolled participants, 48.5% were more than 15 years old, 57.7% were unschooled and 67.2% practiced peasant activities. The prevalence of HAT infection was 0.3% with the predominance of patients at stage 1 of the disease (84.0%). The districts of Mindouli (OR: 25.9 (5.2–468); p = 0.0016) and Mpouya (OR: 13.3 (2.5–246); p = 0.0140) was revealed as the foci of high risk of HAT infection. Several factors were associated with an increased risk of HAT infection mainly including the non-schooling (OR: 5.1 (1.2–21.9); p = 0.0268), the life in couple or married (OR: 3.3 (1.0–11.3); p = 0.0545) and the practice of peasant activities (OR: 6.9 (2.4–29.3); p = 0.0017). Conclusion This study highlights the need of revising and strengthening the strategies of HAT control in Republic of Congo, using an approach which will take into account the education level, the marital status and the occupation of the population at risk.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Risk factors and prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis in individuals living in remote areas of the republic of Congo

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness)—Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Ortiz-Martínez,

Kouamé,

Bongomin

et al. 2023

Curr Trop Med Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Population Knowledge and Practices and the Prevalence of Trypanosomes Circulating in Domestic Animals in Three Active Human African Trypanosomiasis Foci in the Republic of Congo

Bemba

Lenga

Awono-Ambene

et al. 2023

Microbiology Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is still endemic in the Republic of Congo. Although the incidence of cases has significantly decreased over years, the disease still persists in some active foci. Factors contributing to the maintenance of the disease such as the existence of an animal reservoir or population knowledge are still not well known. It is in this context that a study focusing on the knowledge and practices of the population with regard to HAT as well as on the prevalence of trypanosomes infecting animals was undertaken in three active HAT foci in the Republic of Congo. The study was performed using field surveys conducted from November 2019 to June 2021. Domestic animal blood was examined by microscopy and PCR to detect the presence of trypanosomes. A structured questionnaire was administered to the population to assess their knowledge and practices concerning HAT in these endemic foci. More than half of the animals examined were found to be infected with trypanosomes (51.22%). The main trypanosome species infecting animals were Trypanosoma congolense savannah (67.2%) and Trypanosoma brucei (s.l.) (32.8%). No trypanosomes infecting humans were detected. Concerning household surveys, more than half of the respondents (52.9%) were fully aware of the mode of transmission and symptoms of the disease. The majority of people preferred to wear clothes covering the whole body and to use locally made soap as repellents to protect themselves from tsetse fly bites. This study suggests frequent circulation of animal trypanosomes in domestic animals and the use of personal measures to protect against tsetse fly bites. Updating information on the HAT animal reservoir and population knowledge alongside regular monitoring of the tsetse fly populations and the use of traps to control tsetse flies are crucial to drive efforts towards the elimination of gHAT in the Republic of Congo.

show abstract

Review of the Situation of Human African Trypanosomiasis in the Republic of Congo From the 1950s to 2020

Cited by 4 publications

References 41 publications

Risk factors and prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis in individuals living in remote areas of the republic of Congo

Risk factors and prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis in individuals living in remote areas of the republic of Congo

Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness)—Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Population Knowledge and Practices and the Prevalence of Trypanosomes Circulating in Domestic Animals in Three Active Human African Trypanosomiasis Foci in the Republic of Congo

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About