03891nas a2200409   4500000000100000008004100001260003700042653002200079653001200101653002000113653003100133653001300164653001700177100001500194700001900209700001600228700001300244700001300257700001600270700002000286700001400306700001200320700002100332700001400353700001000367700001400377700001500391700001200406700001400418700001400432245014700446856009800593300000900691490000700700520276000707022001403467       2023                            d  bPublic Library of Science (PLoS)10amultidisciplinary10aMalaria10aschistosomiasis10aSoil transmitted helminths10aChildren10aEpidemiology1 aNkemngo FN1 aW. G. Raissa L1 aNebangwa DN1 aNkeng AM1 aKengne A1 aMugenzi LMJ1 aFotso-Toguem YG1 aWondji MJ1 aShey RA1 aNguiffo-Nguete D1 aFru-Cho J1 aNdo C1 aNjiokou F1 aWebster JP1 aWanji S1 aWondji CS1 aMunisi DZ00aEpidemiology of malaria, schistosomiasis, and geohelminthiasis amongst children 3–15 years of age during the dry season in Northern Cameroon  uhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0288560&type=printable  a1-230 v183 a<p><strong>Background:</strong> The double burden of malaria and helminthiasis in children poses an obvious public health challenge, particularly in terms of anemia morbidity. While both diseases frequently geographically overlap, most studies focus on mono-infection and general prevalence surveys without molecular analysis. The current study investigated the epidemiological determinants of malaria, schistosomiasis, and geohelminthiasis transmission among children in the North Region of Cameroon.</p>

<p><strong>Methodology:</strong> School and pre-school children aged 3–15 year-of-age were enrolled from three communities in March 2021 using a community cross-sectional design. Capillary-blood samples were obtained, and each was examined for malaria parasites using rapid-diagnostic-test (RDT), microscopy, and PCR while hemoglobin level was measured using a hemoglobinometer. Stool samples were analyzed for Schistosoma mansoni, S. guineensis, and soil-transmitted-helminthiasis (STH) infections using the Kato Katz method, and urine samples were assessed for the presence of S. haematobium eggs (including hybrids) using the standard urine filtration technique.</p>

<p><strong>Result:&nbsp;</strong>A malaria prevalence of 56% (277/495) was recorded by PCR as opposed to 31.5% (156/495) by microscopy and 37.8% (186/495) by RDT. Similarly, schistosomiasis was observed at prevalence levels of up to 13.3% (66/495) overall [S. haematobium (8.7%); S. mansoni (3.8%); mixed Sh/Sm (0.6%); mixed Sh/Sm/Sg (0.2%). Both infections were higher in males and the 3–9 year-of-age groups. A high frequency of PCR reported P. falciparum mono-infection of 81.9% (227/277) and mixed P. falciparum/P. malariae infection of 17.3% (48/277) was observed. Malaria-helminths co-infections were observed at 13.1% (65/495) with marked variation between P. falciparum/S. haematobium (50.8%, 33/65); P. falciparum/S. mansoni (16.9%, 11/65) and P. falciparum/Ascaris (9.2%, 6/65) (χ2 = 17.5, p = 0.00003). Anemia prevalence was 32.9% (163/495), categorically associated with P. falciparum (45.8%, 104/227), Pf/Sh (11.5%, 26/227), and Pf/Sm (3.9%, 9/227) polyparasitism.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Polyparasitism with malaria and helminth infections is common in school-aged children despite periodic long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) distribution and regular school-based praziquantel (for schistosomiasis) and albendazole (for STH) campaigns. Co-existence of Plasmodium parasites and helminths infections notably Schistosoma species among children may concurrently lead to an increase in Plasmodium infection with an enhanced risk of anemia, highlighting the necessity of an integrated approach for disease control interventions.</p>
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