In onchocerciasis-endemic communities, black fly vectors of Onchocerca volvulus cause annoyance. No vector control was performed in Cameroon to complement ivermectin treatment despite high fly densities in the savannah and forest areas. This study assessed the knowledge and practices of four onchocerciasis-endemic communities in Sudan and the Guinea savannah in Cameroon. We surveyed four communities using a structured questionnaire. We interviewed 452 individuals (Mawong: 136, Befang: 160, Soramboum: 88, and Galim: 68) aged 14–50 years. Most respondents (90%) knew about black flies being a nuisance but had misconceptions about their bite’s effect, location, and season. Only 9.3% knew that black fly bites could lead to blindness, whereas 34.1% correctly regarded evenings as the biting period. In Savannah, Sudan, 30.9% of the interviewees stated that black flies bite both outdoors and indoors, and 37.0% of the enrolees believed that black flies bite any exposed body part. In the Guinea savannah, 61.1% of respondents agreed that black flies typically bite during the dry season. Proper clothing can protect against black fly bites, but the transmission mode and vector biology are poorly understood. Implementing community-based vector surveillance can help fight onchocerciasis and reduce black fly nuisance.

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, coccidian parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. This infection, if acquired during pregnancy may result in severe damage. It affects a third of the world’s population. In many developing countries, its prevalence is unknown, and data concerning its seroprevalence among pregnant women is scarce in our study area. The objective of this study is to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and the associated risk factors among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic (ANC) at the Bamenda Regional Hospital in Cameroon. The results obtained will be useful in giving an estimate of the prevalence among pregnant women thus informing policy on preventive measures. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of pregnant women recruited between January and April 2018 using systematic random sampling technique. Socio-demographic data of participants and predisposing factors to toxoplasmosis were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire administered to them. Five milliliters of blood were collected and the serum screened for IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii using the cassette and buffer immunochromatographic method. The positive IgG cases were tested further by ELISA technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Associations between variables were tested by Chi square and p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of 127 women tested, 44 were seropositive for IgG T. gondii infection (34.6%) by cassette and buffer method and only 1 with both IgG and IgM antibodies(0.8) were found among them with Elisa test. Pet ownership and handling of their litters were risk factors significantly associated with toxoplasmosis (p=0.013 and 0.006 respectively). Although the frequencies of consumption of raw dried meat and farming among the subjects were high, their associations with toxoplasmosis were not statistically significant.Conclusion: The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies among the pregnant women is still high compared with previous finding in the same area (34.6 % for IgG and 0.8% for IgG and IgM). Pet ownership and handling of their litters were risk factors significantly associated with toxoplasmosis in this study. Screening of pregnant women during ANC and treatment of positive cases, are necessary to prevent congenital infections in the newborn. Health education on how to minimize exposure to the risk factors should be given.Keywords: Risk factors, toxoplasmosis, congenital transmission, serological diagnosis.

Health care providers are an integral part of the era of mobile phones. During various activities linked to health care services, they come in contact with their cell phones regularly. These cell phones act as a perfect substrate for nosocomial pathogens, especially in hot–humid conditions, and may serve as a vehicle in transmitting nosocomial infections. This study aimed at determining the profile of bacteria isolated from the cell phones of healthcare providers. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 1 April to 3 June 2023, where 115 swab samples were collected from the cell phones of health care providers (laboratory personnel, nurses/midwives and doctors) at the Regional Hospital Bamenda. These swabs were inoculated on blood, chocolate and Mac Conkey plates, and the bacteria were identified according to standard microbiological methods and biochemical tests to the genus/specie level. Data were statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. The results were presented in frequencies and proportions. The chi square test was used to compare proportions between variables, and the results were considered statistically significant when p < 0.05. The bacteria isolated from these cell phones included coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS), Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus species and Neisseria species. All the cell phones of the laboratory personnel were contaminated, followed by those of the nurses/midwives (38; 33.0%) and, lastly, by those of the medical doctors (24; 20.9%). No statistically significant difference was observed between the three categories of health care providers with respect to the presence or absence of bacteria on their cell phones. This study presented that the mobile phones of health care providers are a risk of nosocomial pathogens. The result implies that there is an urgent need to implement and emphasize strategies such as hand washing and decontamination of mobile phones to limit nosocomial infections in the hospital.

Background: This study enhances knowledge of black fly biodiversity in Cameroon by integrating morphological and molecular analyses. A total of 19 Simulium species were identified from 1184 pupae collected across 13 sites, using morphological examination of gills and DNA sequencing of Cox1 and ITS2 markers. Key findings include the first report of 2 not yet described (based on identification keys used) species in Cameroon and confirmation of S. vorax and S. dentulosum as known vectors of onchocerciasis. DNA sequences have been deposited in GenBank for reference. Methods: Combining morphological and molecular approaches revealed more species diversity than previously described, showing the potential of molecular techniques in black fly study. Notably, the presence of species not typically associated with human-biting behavior (e.g., S. cervicornutum) raises the possibility that such flies could act as vectors under favorable conditions. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of identifying Simulium species for understanding their role in pathogen transmission. The results provide a foundation for further research on undescribed Simulium species and their potential vectorial capacities. Future studies should explore the ecological and behavioral factors influencing vector status, especially in the context of environmental changes. By bridging morphology and DNA analysis, this research advances the study of black flies and sets the stage for improved vector monitoring and disease control in Cameroon and beyond.

Consumption of raw fruits and vegetables constitute a potential source of spread for various parasitic infections. The level of contamination and the various species of parasites found are based on climatic, ecological, and human factors. The purpose of this study was to determine local data about the contamination status of raw fruits and vegetables commonly sold in markets at the Bamenda municipality and the predisposing factors, for better control of parasitic diseases. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2023 on fruits and vegetables collected from local markets of Bamenda town. A total of 200 samples were purchased from four main markets located at center town. The samples were microscopically examined for detection of different parasitic forms and determine the level of parasitic contamination using standardized parasitological techniques for protozoans and helminthes. The difference between prevalence of intestinal parasites among different categories was compared using Pearson chi-square test. Univariate logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with parasitic contamination of fruits and vegetables. The result was considered statistically significant when p value was less than 0.05 at 95% confidence level. A total of 123 individual parasites were found representing 61.5% of the infection in total produce. Ten (10) protozoa parasites were detected and Cryptosporidium spp (25.0%) were more represented followed by Entamoeba histolytica (12.5%) while Entamoeba coli (2.0%), Isospora belli (2.0%) and Balantidium coli (2.0%) have the least rate. Six (6) species of helminth parasites were identified and Hookworms (3,5%) were more present. The overall prevalence of parasitic contamination was 47.0%. Washing of the fruits and vegetables before display for selling was significantly associated with decreased parasitic contamination ( p < 0.05). The overall prevalence of parasitic contamination was 47.0%. Different parasites were identified in mono and or in polyinfection. C. pavum and E. histolytica were protozoa more common, while A. lumbricoïdes and Hookworms were the most frequent helminths. The act of washing fruits and vegetables before displaying for sale, the sources of water used for washing, the means of display for selling and their duration in the market appeared to be factors associated with parasitic contamination.

Typhoid fever is an infectious disease that has been a public health concern for millennia. The use of herbal preparations is getting popularity, with an estimated 80% of the world’s population still depending on it for the management of various diseases including typhoid fever. However, data concerning their quality, safety and efficacy is not readily available. Our aim was to determine the in vitro efficacy of some commercially available herbal preparations used in the treatment of typhoid fever in Bamenda Municipality. Five herbal preparations indicated for the treatment of typhoid fever (coded P1 to P5) were bought from various outlets of the herbal producers and serial dilutions made and screened for their activities against clinical isolates of Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi using the agar well diffusion and dilution methods. The bacterial growth inhibition zone diameters of the herbal preparations were measured with a transparent ruler and compared with those of some standard antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone). Two of the herbal preparations (P1 & P2) showed inhibition zone diameters against S. Typhi (20 and 14 mm respectively) while the rest (P3, P4 & P5) were inactive. P1 showed minimal activity on S. Paratyphi while the rest of the herbal preparations (P2, P3, P4 and P5) were inactive at all tested concentrations. The difference between the value of the inhibition zone diameters of the herbal preparations and that of the standard antibiotics on both S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi was statistically significant (p<0.05). It was found out that most of the herbal preparations showed no activity against the tested bacterial isolates contrary to their label bogus claims.Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Typhoid fever, Herbal preparations, in vitro, Bamenda-Cameroon.