Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis
Summary: The study was conducted to investigate a variation in the distribution of endemic elephantiasis previously determined to be of geochemical origin in three neighbouring and essentially homogenous villages, Bambili, Bambui and Finge of the Bambui Health District of NW Cameroon. A total of 301...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2009-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187603410900080X |
| _version_ | 1818669278266654720 |
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| author | Fidelis Cho-Ngwa Alfred Ngwa Amambua Melvin Anyasi Ambele Vincent P.K. Titanji |
| author_facet | Fidelis Cho-Ngwa Alfred Ngwa Amambua Melvin Anyasi Ambele Vincent P.K. Titanji |
| author_sort | Fidelis Cho-Ngwa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: The study was conducted to investigate a variation in the distribution of endemic elephantiasis previously determined to be of geochemical origin in three neighbouring and essentially homogenous villages, Bambili, Bambui and Finge of the Bambui Health District of NW Cameroon. A total of 301 subjects were examined for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in the area using standard procedures. The onchocercal microfilarial prevalence varied from 6.5% in Bambili through 20.4% in Bambui to 60.4% in Finge. The onchocercal serological prevalence based on IgG4 detection followed a similar trend. By contrast, blood microfilariae were absent in the area as verified by use of sensitive techniques. The community prevalence of elephantiasis varied from 1.1% in Bambili to 4.4% in Bambui and 10.4% in Finge. The correlation between the parasitological prevalence of onchocerciasis and the prevalence of lymphedema in the three villages was strong (r = 0.99, p < 0.05). We confirm that the elephantiasis in the area is of geochemical origin and the results suggest that it is being exacerbated by onchocercal lymphadenitis. Keywords: Onchocerciasis, Podoconiosis, Lymphedema, NW Cameroon |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:49:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4879ebae66064211899e2cb7d2f9079f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:49:40Z |
| publishDate | 2009-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-4879ebae66064211899e2cb7d2f9079f2022-12-21T21:59:38ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412009-01-0124198203Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasisFidelis Cho-Ngwa0Alfred Ngwa Amambua1Melvin Anyasi Ambele2Vincent P.K. Titanji3Corresponding author. Tel.: +237 7762 3220; fax: +237 3332 22 72.; Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, CameroonBiotechnology Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, CameroonBiotechnology Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, CameroonBiotechnology Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, CameroonSummary: The study was conducted to investigate a variation in the distribution of endemic elephantiasis previously determined to be of geochemical origin in three neighbouring and essentially homogenous villages, Bambili, Bambui and Finge of the Bambui Health District of NW Cameroon. A total of 301 subjects were examined for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in the area using standard procedures. The onchocercal microfilarial prevalence varied from 6.5% in Bambili through 20.4% in Bambui to 60.4% in Finge. The onchocercal serological prevalence based on IgG4 detection followed a similar trend. By contrast, blood microfilariae were absent in the area as verified by use of sensitive techniques. The community prevalence of elephantiasis varied from 1.1% in Bambili to 4.4% in Bambui and 10.4% in Finge. The correlation between the parasitological prevalence of onchocerciasis and the prevalence of lymphedema in the three villages was strong (r = 0.99, p < 0.05). We confirm that the elephantiasis in the area is of geochemical origin and the results suggest that it is being exacerbated by onchocercal lymphadenitis. Keywords: Onchocerciasis, Podoconiosis, Lymphedema, NW Cameroonhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187603410900080X |
| spellingShingle | Fidelis Cho-Ngwa Alfred Ngwa Amambua Melvin Anyasi Ambele Vincent P.K. Titanji Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| title | Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis |
| title_full | Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis |
| title_fullStr | Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis |
| title_short | Evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin, podoconiosis, by onchocerciasis |
| title_sort | evidence for the exacerbation of lymphedema of geochemical origin podoconiosis by onchocerciasis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187603410900080X |
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