Human and Environmental Reservoirs of Intestinal Parasites in the City of Yaoundé, Cameroon: An Update in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic
Laurelle Djieukap Njieyap
Laboratory of Parasitology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon and Research Institute of Yaoundé, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Bienvenu Balifeli
Laboratory of Parasitology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon and Research Institute of Yaoundé, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Narcisse Mvondo
Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Joelle Tanguep Siakam
Centre de Recherche sur les Filarioses et autres Maladies Tropicales (CERFilMT), Yaounde, Cameroon.
Chi Tchampo Fru
The Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, the University of Bamenda (UBa), Bamenda, Cameroon.
Albert Bayibeki Ngano
School of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Nadege Amougou Okoa
Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Patrick Akono-Ntonga
Laboratory of Animal Organism Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Douala, Cameroon.
Josiane Désirée Etang
Research Institute of Yaoundé, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Douala, Cameroon.
Christophe Antonio-Nkondjio
Research Institute of Yaoundé, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon and LSTM Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship, Cameroon.
Cyrille Ndo
Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Douala, Cameroon and Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Serge Hubert Zebaze Togouet
Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Flobert Njiokou
Laboratory of Parasitology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon and Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Nicolas Félicien Dologuele
Department of Health Program and Research, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Herman Parfait Awono-Ambene *
Research Institute of Yaoundé, OCEAC, Yaoundé, Cameroon, School of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé, Cameroon and Laboratory of Animal Organism Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Douala, Cameroon.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Intestinal parasitic infections are persistent in Africa, and we questioned here whether prevention measures imposed by the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 could alleviate this threat in lowlands of the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Study Design: We monitored the trend of intestinal parasites in human and environmental samples from the seven subdivisions of the city of Yaounde, before (November-December 2019) and during (July-August 2020, November-December 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodology: Parasitological analysis were performed to check for the presence of helminths and protozoans in stools from inhabitants as well as in water, soil and fresh vegetables, using standard Kato Katz and Formol Ether methods.The minimum effective sample size considered for the estimation of parasite richness, parasite infection and contamination indexeswas 30 for human and 30 for environmental samples (i.e. soils, water and vegetables) per location.
Results: Of the 19 parasite species identified in human and the environments, twelve were helminths and seven protozoans. The overall parasite species richness reached 16 in 2019 (12 helminths and 4 protozoans) and 19 in 2020 (12 helminths and 7 protozoans), with about 62.5-68.4% of species shared by human and environments. The parasite frequencies in human (21.03%) and water/soils (32.3%) in 2019 did not differ statistically with those of 2020 (14.6-20.3% and 10.8-35.4%, respectively). The contamination rate of vegetables (i.e. carrots, lettuce, basil, celery, etc.) has increased from 2019 (6.1-9.1%) to 2020 (9.1-24.2%), and was frequently due to roundworms, hookworms, Entamoeba and Cryptosporidium cysts. The findings suggest persistent risk associated with intestinal parasite irrespective to measures imposed by COVID-19 in study locations.
Conclusion: The current control approaches may therefore integrateecological epidemiology of the intestinal parasite infections as complementary strategy in African cities.
Keywords: Intestinal parasites, human, soils, water, vegetables, COVID-19, Yaoundé