Microbiological Profile of Oral Infections in Diabetic Patients and Non-Diabetic Controls in SouthWest, Cameroon

Background: Oral microbial flora is increasingly being incriminated in oral infections. There is paucity of information on the importance of aerobic oral flora in diabetes. The purpose of this study was to compare aerobic oral microbial flora in diabetics and non-diabetics and to relate these microbes with oral infections.Materials and Methods: This study involved 154 diabetics and 111 non-diabetics aged 18 years and above. Oral washes were inoculated unto blood agar, chocolate agar, Mac Conkey agar and Sabouraud’s agar and isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Oral exam was conducted by a Dentist to assess oral infections and oral health status of participants.Results: Thirteen different genera of aerobic microbes were identified. The most prevalent microbes were Streptococcus sp (99.6 %), Candida albicans (17.0 %), Serratia Spp (7.2 %), other Candida Spp (6.8 %), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) (6.4 %) and Klebsiella Spp (5.7 %). Candida sp was more prevalent in diabetic patients than non-diabetics. Gram negative aerobic bacteria were significantly isolated from cases of dental  caries.Conclusion: The oral microbiological profile of diabetic patients was different from those of non-diabetics and aerobic Gram negative bacteria may play an important role in dental diseases in diabetic patients.Keywords: Oral microbiological profile; oral infections; diabetes; Cameroon Contexte: La flore microbienne orale est de plus en plus incriminée dans les infections buccales. Il existe peu d'informations sur l'importance de la flore buccale aérobie chez les diabétiques. Le but de cette étude était de comparer la flore microbienne aérobie orale chez les diabétiques et les non diabétiques et de déterminer le lien que ces germes ont avec les infections buccales.Matériels et méthodes: Cette étude a porté sur 154 diabétiques et 111 non-diabétiques âgés de 18 ans et plus. Le liquide de lavage buccal a été inoculé sur des géloses au sang, au chocolat, de Mac Conkey et de Sabouraud respectivement, et les souches bactériennes ont été identifiées par des tests biochimiques standards. L’examen oral a été mené par un dentiste afin d’évaluer les infections buccales et l'état de santé bucco-dentaire des participants.Résultats: Treize genre différents de microorganismes aérobies ont été identifiés. Les microbes les plus répandus étaient Streptococcus sp (99,6%), Candida albicans (17,0%), Serratia spp (7,2%), les autres espèces de Candida (6,8%), les staphylocoques à coagulase négative (SCN) (6,4%) et Klebsiella spp (5,7%). Candida spp était plus fréquent chez les patients diabétiques que chez les non-diabétiques. Les bactéries Gram négatives aérobies ont été considérablement isolées des cas de caries dentaires.Conclusion: Le profil microbiologique oral des patients diabétiques était différent de ceux des non- diabétiques. Les bactéries Gram négatif aérobies peuvent jouer un rôle important dans les maladies dentaires chez les patients diabétiques.Mots-clés: Profil microbiologique orale; infections buccales; diabète; CamerounArticle in English

Burden of intestinal parasites amongst HIV/AIDS patients attending Bamenda Regional Hospital in Cameroon

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections cause severe diarrhea especially in debilitated subjects with clinical complications of dehydration, malabsorption and severe weight loss, complicating treatment schemes.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, hospital based study during which data were collected by the use of questionnaires and laboratory tests of stool and blood samples respectively.Results: A total of 200 volunteer patients participated in this study of which 132 (66.0%) were females and 68 (34.0%) males. Eight different intestinal parasites were identified in 69 (34.5%) participants. The most prevalent parasite was Entamoeba histolytica with 8.0% of infected cases. Opportunistic parasites were identified in 15.5% of the study population. Seven percent of patients were infected with  Cryptosporidium parvum, 6.5% with Isospora belli, and 2% with Microsporidium species. Diarrhea was found in 38.5% of the study participants 62.3% of whom had at least a single intestinal parasite. Opportunistic parasites were significantly more prevalent in patients with diarrhea and participants with CD4+ T cell counts less than 200 cells/al (P < 0.05). Diarrhea was significantly more prevalent inparticipants who were on antiretroviral drugs than in those who were not (66.5% vs. 33.5%, P<0.05).Conclusion: Though opportunistic parasites were found in the majority of HIV/AIDS patients attending the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Entamoeba histolytica and other intestinal parasites represented a common burden. It was therefore recommended appropriate diagnosis before initiating the routine treatment which is usually practiced in our health settings.Key words: Intestinal parasites, HIV/AIDS patients, Bamenda Regional Hospital 

Malaria prevention in the Buea health district in Cameroon: factors influencing Mosquito bed net use in households

Background: Insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs), though proven to be effective in preventing malaria will have little impact unless people sleep under them. Several studies have shown that owned ITNs are usually not used and that ITN use is influenced by several factors that vary between communities.Objective: To investigate the factors influencing the use of mosquito bed nets in households in the Buea Health District (BHD) in Cameroon.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study with two-stage cluster sampling included 420 households from 35 sites. Questionnaires adapted from the Malaria Indicator Survey were used. CSPro 4.1 and Epi info 3.5.3 were used to create database and analyze respectively.Results: ITN ownership in the BHD was high (92.6%; 95% CI: 89.6%-94.9%) but ITN use was less than average (41.2%; 95% CI: 39.2%-43.3%). ITN use was least likely in the age group 5-15 years (P<0.01), in educated individuals (P<0.01) and in households with less than one ITN for two persons (P<0.01). White ITNs were less likely to be used (P<0.01). Conclusion: There is a gap between ITN ownership and use in the malaria holoendemic BHD and ITN use is associated with age of individual, level of education, colour of ITNs and household net density. Use of the highly owned ITNs could be increased by targeting the least protected 5-15 years age group and schooling individuals; by promoting school-based education on ITN use.Keywords: Insecticide-treated nets, malaria, Buea Health Distric

Intestinal helminths in some cases of acute appendicitis operated in Bamenda, Cameroon

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most frequent infectious surgical abdominal emergency and previous studies have noted the presence of parasites in the appendicular lumen.Objective: This study was done to determine the involvement of intestinal worms in the etiology of acute appendicitis.Materials and Methods: This was a prospective and descriptive study concerning cases of confirmed and operated acute appendicitis between 15th April, 2013 and 14th April, 2015 at the People’s Clinic, Ngomgham, Bamenda, Cameroon. The appendicular content was macroscopically examined for parasites and formol-ether concentration technique was carried out for ova detection.Results: A total of 112 patients were operated for acute abdominal pain within the study period. There were 74 (60.8%) cases confirmed with acute appendicitis of which 45 (60.1%) were males and 29 (39.2%) were. The most affected age group was the 21 to 40 years (50%). The removed appendices appeared congestive in 30 (40.5%) cases, suppurated in 27 (40.5%) cases and gangrenous in 17 (23.0%) cases.There was no relationship between the appearance of the removed appendix and the gender of participants (P>0.05).Three different helminth ova were identified in the 74 samples. In decreasing prevalence, the parasite trend was 8 (10.8%) Ascaris lumbricoides, 5 (6.8%) Enterobius vermicularis, 3 (6.0%), Ankylostoma duodenale, Adult Ascaris lumbricoides and Enterobius vermicularis were seen in 1 and 3 cases respectively.Conclusion: A small percentage of parasitic worm eggs were found in the appendicular content, though a good portion of patients took medications against parasites before surgery. Intestinal worms could not be incriminated in the causation of the appendicitis; nevertheless, one adult ascaris was found as an evident cause of appendicular lumen obstruction.Keywords: Intestinal Helminthes, Acute appendicitis, Bamend