Soil Contamination Rate, Prevalence, Intensity of Infection of Geohelminths and Associated Risk Factors among Residents in Bazou (West Cameroon)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infectionsremain an important public health problem in the tropics. Thisstudy aimed to evaluate the soil contamination rate and prevalenceof infestations of geohelminth among residents in Bazou.METHODS: Four hundred (400) soil samples and 182 stoolspecimens were collected respectively from four sites and frominhabitants aged 1 to 40 years and above in 12 households. Aquestionnaire was administered to evaluate risk factors of STH-infections. Soil samples were screened using sucrose centrifugalflotation method while stool specimens were analyzed using twotechniques.RESULTS: Out of the 400 soil and 182 stool samples examined,13(3.3%) and 9(4.95%) were positive respectively after analyses.Soil contamination rates were 2%, 1% and 0.3% for Ascaris,Trichuris and hookworm eggs respectively while 4.95% of stoolsamples were positive to one species nematode (Ascarislumbricoides). The soil contamination rate observed (5%) in therainy season was significantly different (p>0.05) from the oneobserved (1.5%) in the dry season. Irrespectively of the season, themost frequent parasite identified was Ascaris spp. Soils aroundhouses were more contaminated 6(12%) as compared to thosecollected from markets 5(10%) and roads 2(4%) while thosearound classrooms were not contaminated. Participants in the agegroup of 1-10 were more infected. Factors such as no handwashing habit and untrimmed finger nails were found to beimportant risk factors for STH.CONCLUSION: These results suggest the necessity to promotemeasures that could help to reduce STH infections.KEYWORDS: Soil contamination, geohelminths, risk factors,Bazou, Cameroon.