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Background: In recent times, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections seem to loose more and more interest due to the fact that resources are being justifiably diverted to more recent priorities such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. In developing countries, the upsurge of intestinal helminth infections constitutes a problem not only of public health concern but also of development. Aim: To find out the prevalence of STH infections in persons visiting the traditional health care centre in west Cameroon. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections, in persons visiting the centre of phytomedecine, a parasitological investigation of feces was carried out in 223 stools, using three techniques (direct examination, concentration method of Willis, and Mc Master technique). Results: 130 stools were collected from male and 93 from female subjects, hence a sex ratio of 1.4:1. Among the 223 stools examined, 97 specimens were found to be positive with one or several parasite species, thus giving a prevalence of 45.3%. The parasitism occurs from early age (1-10 years) reaching 4.5%. The most infected age group was 21-30 years (31%). Female subjects (28.3%) were statistically more infected than males (15.2%). The intestinal nematode species found were Trichuris trichiura (19.2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (13.4%), and hookworm (10.7%). These parasites occurred as single (19.2%) or multiple infections (10.3%). The mean fecal eggs count was 3722±672, 875±462, and 563±283 for A. lumbricoides, hookworm, and T. trichiura, respectively. Conclusion: These results show the necessity of the application of suitable measures which are aimed at reducing the extent of STH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a survey of human geohelminth infections that was conducted at two rural agrarian villages, Bawa and Nloh, in the West Province of Cameroon. The purpose was to assess the effectiveness of a geohelminth control program implemented by the Bawa Health Initiative in the two villages. Prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides , Trichuris trichiura and hookworm in Nloh are noted at 33 percent, 54.3 percent and 26.6 percent. Charts showing frequency distributions of geohelminth intensity for the villages are presented.

Summary: The possibility that positive or negative associations occur between the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus and the gastrointestinal nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura was investigated in 205 children attending three schools in central Cameroon. Despite the closeness of their locations, marked differences between the schools were detected with respect to the number of species carried, the prevalence of O. volvulus and T. trichiura and the interaction between the prevalence of these two species. The number of species carried and these same prevalences varied significantly across the narrow age range of the study group. In addition, we observed an interaction between the prevalences of O. volvulus and A. lumbricoides that was dependent upon school but independent of host age and sex. Quantitative analyses revealed that the abundances of O. volvulus, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura were affected by both school and age whereas host sex was significant only for O. volvulus. Finally, we observed significant positive interactions between the intensities of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura and between O. volvulus and T. trichiura, that were school, age and sex independent. Our data suggest that associations do occur between filarial and gastrointestinal nematodes and that certain individuals are prone to multiple and high-level infections. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]