Epidemiology of malaria, schistosomiasis, and geohelminthiasis amongst children 3-15 years of age during the dry season in Northern Cameroon

BACKGROUND

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.

METHODOLOGY

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.

RESULT

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.

CONCLUSION

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.