Risk Factors for Tungiasis in Nigeria: Identification of Targets for Effective Intervention

Tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. After penetration into the skin, the flea grows and reaches the size of a pea. The disease is a neglected public health problem in endemic areas in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, and causes considerable morbidity in the affected communities. We performed a study in a rural community in Nigeria to detect factors associated with tungiasis. People were examined for the presence of sand flea lesions, and a questionnaire was applied. Of the 643 individuals examined, 252 (42.5%) had tungiasis. The most important factors independently associated with the disease were: presence of pigs on the compound (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 17.98), sand or clay floor inside house (OR = 9.33), and having the common resting place outside the house (OR = 7.14). The regular use of closed footwear (OR = 0.34) and the use of insecticides indoors (OR = 0.2) were protective factors. Our data show that tungiasis in this community is determined to an important extent by some variables that may be a target for interventions

Tunga penetrans in Cameroon

The parasitosis caused by Tunga penetrans is an important public health problem in Cameroon, even if there are only few reports of its presence in the country. With the aim to know the prevalence of this parasitosis in man, the season of infestation, the Province with higher infestation rate and the age group more infested, a first questionnaire have been done on 233 persons. After that, two investigations were carried out on the west Province that was recorded as the place with higher prevalence. In the first one, 537 pupils of the primary school were inspected, in the second one 384 swine were inspected in the piggeries and slaughterhouses. The first questionnaire showed that the 69,9 % of interviewers were infested almost one time in their life by T. penetrans always during the dry season, with the major prevalence in the West Province where many piggeries are present. The investigation carried out on pupils, revealed that 49,2 % had T. penetrans lesions, while from the swine investigation 57,5 % of the animals were infested. Tungiasis results frequent in Cameroon, affecting specially people aged 5 to 12 years in the localities where the parasite is present in swine and where these animals are left wandering near houses

Livestock Owner\'s Perception On Trypanosomosis And Associated Treatment On The Adamaoua Plateau In Cameroon Ten Years After Tsetse Eradication

Ten years after the tsetse eradication campaign, a survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted on the Adamaoua plateau in Cameroon to obtain qualitative and quantitative information from cattle owners about mains frequent bovines diseases, the use of trypanocidal drugs and insecticides pour-on to control trypanosomosis in cattle. Trypanosomosis was the main frequent and lethal disease. Buffer zone cattle owners used preferably isometamidium chloride rather than diminazene aceturate, whereas those of tsetse-free and tsetse-infested valley used the two trypanocides especially to treat disease episodes were perceived to be trypanosomosis. Pyrethoids was the main pour-on used to control trypanosomosis in the three zones. They were generally obtained from veterinary chemist and market, and breeders themselves administered slightly more than ¾ of them. Study suggests to extension workers the improvement of the use of veterinary products.Dix ans après la campagne d\'éradication des glossines, des enquêtes ont été menées sur le plateau de l\'Adamaoua au Cameroun pour recueillir auprès des éleveurs du bétail des informations qualitatives et quantitatives au sujet des principales maladies bovines, l\'usage des trypanocides et insecticides «pour-on» pour contrôler la trypanosomose chez le bétail. La trypanosomose était la maladie la plus fréquente et la plus mortelle. Les éleveurs de la zone tampon utilisaient plus le chlorure d\'isométamidium que l\'acéturate de diminazène, alors que ceux de la zone assainie et infestée utilisaient en même temps les deux trypanocides pour traiter des épisodes de maladie qu\'ils percevaient être la trypanosomose. Les insecticides à base de pyrèthre étaient les principaux «pour-on» utilisés pour contrôler la trypanosomose dans les trois zones. Ces produits étaient achetés auprès des pharmacies vétérinaires et du marché local, et les trois-quarts de ces produits étaient administrés par les éleveurs euxmêmes. L\'étude suggère aux agents de vulgarisation l\'amélioration de l\'usage de produits vétérinaires.Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 54 (4) 2006: pp. 260-27

The risk of rinderpest re-introduction in post-eradication era

In 2011, ten years after the last reported outbreak, the eradication of rinderpest was declared. However, as rinderpest virus stocks still exist, there remains a risk of rinderpest re-introduction. A semi-quantitative risk assessment was conducted to assess this risk, which was defined as the probability of at least one host becoming infected and infectious outside a laboratory anywhere in the world within a one-year period. Pathways leading to rinderpest re-introduction were: deliberate or accidental use of virus in laboratories, deliberate or accidental use of vaccines, host exposure to an environmental source of virus, and use of virus for anti-animal biological warfare. The probability of each pathway step occurring was estimated through expert opinion elicitation. The risk estimate was associated with a high degree of uncertainty. It was estimated to range from negligible to high, with the median being very low. The accidental use of laboratory virus stocks was the highest risk pathway. Reducing the number of virus stocks and restricting their use, as well as upgrading the laboratories to a higher biosafety level, would effectively decrease the maximum and median risks. Likewise, ensuring that remaining vaccine stocks are not used and are instead destroyed or relocated to a limited number of regional repositories would also have a major effect on these estimates. However, these measures are unlikely to eliminate the risk of rinderpest re-introduction so that maintaining response preparedness is essential

Parasitological prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in Faro and Deo division Cameroon, Ten years after the tse-tse eradication campaign

Dix ans après la campagne d'éradication des glossines, une enquête transversale visant à déterminer la prévalence de la trypanosomose et l’identification des espèces de trypanosome en présence a été effectuée dans le département du Faro & Deo, plateau de l’Adamaoua, Nord Cameroun. Au total, 302 bovins adultes ont été examinés dans vingt localités différentes appartenant soit à la zone assainie, tampon ou infestée. Les techniques de diagnostic utilisées consistaient en un examen de la couche leucocytaire sur fond noir, un examen d’un frottis mince colore et une évaluation de l’hématocrite. La prévalence totale de la trypanosomose bovine était de 14,6%, mais variait significativement par zone. Elle était élevée en zone infestée 35.1% et basse dans la zone assainie (4.3%) et tampon (5.3%); et aucune différence significative (P =0.051 > 0.05) n’été observé entre la zone tampon et le plateau. Parmi les animaux positifs, 43.2%, 13.6%, 9.1%, 13.6% et 20.5% étaient causes par Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma vivax, Trypanosoma brucei, et des infections mixtes (T. congolense et T. vivax) et (T. congolense, T. brucei et T. vivax) respectivement. L’hématocrite des animaux positifs et négatifs allait de 16 à 40 pour cent et de 15 à 46 pour cent, respectivement. L’hématocrite moyen des animaux négatifs (29,6±5.7%) était significativement plus élevé que l’hématocrite moyen des animaux positifs (26,9±6.4%) (P = 0.003 < 0.05). Vu le risque de trypanosomose sur le plateau, une stratégie de contrôle appropriée est fortement recommandée.Ten years after the tsetse eradication campaign, a cross sectional survey to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis and identifying the species of trypanosomes infecting cattle was conducted in the Adamaoua plateau, North Cameroon. A total of 302 adult cattle were examined at twenty different localities. Field examination of the buffy coat, stained thin blood film examination and packed cell volume (PCV) evaluation were thediagnostic techniques used. The overall prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis was 14.6%. However, the prevalence differed significantly between zones. It was higher in the valley (35.1%) and lower in the buffer zone and the plateau (5.3% and 4.3% respectively); no significant difference (P = 0.051) was found between the buffer zone and plateau. Among the positive animals, 43.2%, 13.6%, 9.1%, 13.6% and 20.5% werefrom Trypanosoma congolense, T. vivax , T. brucei and mixed infection (T. congolense & T. vivax) and (T. congolense, T. brucei & T. vivax), respectively. The mean PCV of positive and negative animals ranged between 16 - 40 % and 15 - 46%, respectively. The mean PCV of negative animals (29.6±5.7%) was significantly higher than the mean PCV of positive animals (26.9±6.4%) (P < 0.05). Because of the risk of trypanosomosis on the plateau, appropriate control strategies need to be put in place urgently