Determinants of the psychomotor development delay in children aged 12 to 59 months infected with HIV in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Introduction

children infected with HIV are at increased risk of impaired neurodevelopmental, due to several environmental factors.

Methods

we conducted a cross-sectional analytical study on HIV-infected children aged 12 to 59 months, followed up in five hospitals in Yaounde, Cameroon. Sociodemographic, clinical, and biological variables as well as the antecedents were collected. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 software. The Denver test was used to assess the psychomotor development of these children. Global psychomotor delay, defined as a global development quotient of less than 70 with an alteration in at least two of the four domains of the test, was retained as the primary endpoint. The significance threshold was set at 5%.

Results

one hundred and eighty-one children were included in the study. The sex ratio was 0.6. The age range 48-59 months was the most represented. None of these children had a known chronic pathology other than HIV infection. The proportion of global psychomotor delay was 11.04%, with language (16%) and fine motor skills (16%) being the most affected domains of psychomotor development. The independent factors significantly associated with global psychomotor delay were birth weight below 2500 grams (OR= 17.61 [1.76-181.39], p= 0.022), growth retardation (OR= 17.64 [1.63-190.24], p= 0.018) and elevated viral load (OR= 22.75 [2.78-186.02], p= 0.004).

Conclusion

psychomotor delay affects about one out of ten children living with HIV. Its occurrence is linked to various factors that must be taken into account in the development of public health policies in connection with the management of HIV infection in children.

Cryptococcal antigen carriage among HIV infected children aged 6 months to 15 years at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala

Background

Up to 15% of deaths of people living with HIV is attributable to meningeal cryptococcosis, with nearly 75% occuring in sub-Saharan Africa. Although rare in children, it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV. A strong association between cryptococcal antigenemia and the development of meningeal cryptococcosis has been shown in adults. Thus, in 2018, the World Health Organization published an updated version of its guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention and management of cryptococcal infection in adults, adolescents and the HIV-infected child.

Goal

To determine the prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia and to identify its determinants in children infected with HIV.

Methods

An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out at the approved treatment center of Laquintinie hospital in Douala over a period of 4 months. Children were recruited consecutively after informed parental consent. Cryptococcal antigenemia and CD4 assay were performed using a Cryptops^® immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test and flow cytometry, respectively. The data collected included the socio-demographic, clinical and paraclinical variables of the children, as well as their antecedents. Data analysis was performed using Epiinfo software version 3.1 and SPSS 21.0. The significance threshold was set at 5%.

Results

A total of 147 children were enrolled. The mean age was 9.8 ± 4.09 years. The majority were on antiretroviral therapy (142, 96.60%). Only 13 (8.80%) were in severe immunosuppression. No child showed signs of meningeal cryptococcosis. The prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia was 6.12%. Severe immunosuppression [OR: 10.03 (1.52–65.91), p = 0.016] and contact with pigeons [OR: 9.76 (1.14–83.65), p = 0.037] were independent factors significantly associated with the carriage of the cryptococcal antigen.

Conclusion

We recommend screening for cryptococcal antigenemia and routine treatment with fluconazole of all HIV positive children with cryptococcal antigen whether symptomatic or not.

[Determinants of survival of HIV-infected children aged 6 months to 15 years on follow-up in the town of Ebolowa, Cameroon from 2008 to 2018]

Introduction

la survie des enfants infectés par le VIH demeure un défi dans les pays en voie de développement. Au Cameroun, la mortalité liée au VIH chez les enfants de moins de 15 ans en 2018 était de 20%. Paradoxalement, la région du Sud Cameroun, malgré une séroprévalence élevée chez les enfants de 4,1% et une couverture en traitement antirétroviral faible de l´ordre de 64%, ne fait pas partie des régions du Cameroun les plus touchées par la mortalité pédiatrique liée au VIH/SIDA. L´objectif de ce travail était de déterminer le taux de survie et identifier ses déterminants chez les enfants âgés de 6 mois à 15 ans, infectés par le VIH.

Méthodes

une étude de cohorte à collecte de données rétrospective et prospective a été menée de janvier 2008 à décembre 2018 dans trois formations sanitaires prenant en charge les enfants VIH positifs, à Ebolowa dans la région du Sud Cameroun. L´étude s´est faite en deux temps, une phase de collecte rétrospective pour la sélection des dossiers médicaux des enfants VIH positifs répondant aux critères d´inclusion dans les registres de consultation, et une phase de collecte prospective qui nous a permis d´avoir auprès des parents, les informations sur le devenir des enfants. Un consentement éclairé parental a été obtenu au cours de cette deuxième phase. Les données sociodémographiques, cliniques, paracliniques, thérapeutiques, ainsi que le devenir des enfants ont été collectées. Les temps moyens de survie, ainsi que les facteurs associés à la survie ont été déterminés à l´aide du modèle de Kaplan Meier. La régression à risque proportionnel de Cox, nous a permis d´identifier les déterminants de la survie. Notre critère de jugement était le décès. Le niveau de significativité a été fixé à 5%.

Résultats

au total, 186 enfants ont été enrôlés. La durée médiane de suivi était de 18,5 mois. Le taux de survie était de 66,7%. La majorité des décès (67%) est survenue avant le sixième mois de suivi. Après analyse multivariée, l´âge inférieur à 2 ans [aHR: 18,6 (6,48-53,59); p=0,001], l´anémie sévère [aHR: 7,69 (1,02-57,9); p=0,04], et la présence d´infections opportunistes [aHR: 4,52 (2,51-8,14); p=0,05] étaient indépendamment et significativement associés à la survie.

Conclusion

en plus du traitement antirétroviral précoce, un bon suivi clinique et paraclinique est nécessaire pour améliorer la survie des enfants infectés par le VIH.

'You just have to grin and bear' - emotional suppression among women in polygyny in Cameroon

Polygyny is a matrimonial union in which a single man is simultaneously married to multiple wives. On a daily basis, women in polygynous unions suffer from financial, emotional and physical burdens. This study explores women's perceptions of this matrimonial regime and the factors influencing their sexual health decision-making in Cameroon. Drawing on interviews with twenty-three women aged 23 to 80 years living in polygynous unions, we explore women's daily life and perceptions on polygyny. Using content analysis, meaning units relating to respondents' experiences and perceptions were identified and condensed into codes and categories that were later grouped into themes. Five themes emerged - refusal and tolerance; heavy workload and responsibility; lack of power in sexual health decision-making; discrimination and unequal treatment of spouses; and emotional suppression. Women reported emotional suppression, limited rights, discrimination and poor living conditions as being the most significant problems that they encountered. Addressing the discrimination faced by women in polygynous unions will entail adopting and implementing laws to protect women's rights and promote their empowerment.

Blood Lead Levels among Children in Yaoundé Cameroon

Blood lead levels (BLLs) are a useful indication of a population exposure to lead from environmental sources. No previous published study had reported BLLs in Cameroon. Our objective is to characterize exposure levels in children to inform policymakers of potential lead exposure sources. We tested the BLLs of 147 children aged 12 months to 6 years residing in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and conducted an extensive questionnaire with their parents or guardians to characterize potential exposure sources. The geometric mean BLL among this population was 8.0 μg/dl and arithmetic mean level was 8.7 μg/dl. These levels are more than sixfold higher than the geometric mean BLL reported in the U.S. and more than fivefold higher than those reported in France. In addition, 88% of the children tested had lead levels greater than 5 μg/dl. One limitation of the study is that the selection of the children sampled was not a random survey. The analysis of the responses to the questionnaire failed to uncover any specific exposure patterns. A statistically significant association was noted between the age of the child’s home and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding with BLLs. The study points to a need for greater efforts to control sources of lead exposure in Cameroon.

Feasibility Study of HIV Sentinel Surveillance using PMTCT data in Cameroon: from Scientific Success to Programmatic Failure

Background

In low-income countries (LICs), HIV sentinel surveillance surveys (HIV-SSS) are recommended in between two demographic and health surveys, due to low-cost than the latter. Using the classical unlinked anonymous testing (UAT), HIV-SSS among pregnant women raised certain ethical and financial challenges. We therefore aimed at evaluating how to use prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) routine data as an alternative approach for HIV-SSS in LICs.

Methods

A survey conducted through 2012 among first antenatal-care attendees (ANC1) in the ten regions of Cameroon. HIV testing was performed at PMTCT clinics as-per the national serial algorithm (rapid test), and PMTCT site laboratory (PMTCT-SL) performances were evaluated by comparison with results of the national reference laboratory (NRL), determined as the reference standard.

Results

Acceptance rate for HIV testing was 99%, for a total of 6521 ANC1 (49 · 3% aged 15–24) enrolled nationwide. Among 6103 eligible ANC1, sensitivity (using NRL testing as the reference standard) was 81 · 2%, ranging from 58 · 8% (South region) to 100% (West region); thus implying that 18 · 8% HIV-infected ANC1 declared HIV-negative at the PMTCT-SL were positive from NRL-results. Specificity was 99 · 3%, without significant disparity across sites. At population-level, this implies that every year in Cameroon, ~2,500 HIV-infected women are wrongly declared seronegative, while ~1,000 are wrongly declared seropositive. Only 44 · 4% (16/36) of evaluated laboratories reached the quality target of 80%.

Conclusions

The study identified weaknesses in routine PMTCT HIV testing. As Cameroon transitions to using routine PMTCT data for HIV-SSS among pregnant women, there is need in optimizing quality system to ensure robust routine HIV testing for programmatic and surveillance purposes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-2119-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Kawasaki disease in an infant: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges at the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon

Introduction: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute multi-systemic vasculitis which represents the leading etiology of acquired heart disease in children in high-income countries. Its rarity in black Africans may lead to misdiagnosis, delayed management with resultant fatal coronary artery lesions. We discuss a case of KD diagnosed in an infant in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Case presentation: A 10-month-old male Cameroonian presented with irritability, a generalised cutaneous eruption, and a prolonged high-grade fever. Although initial diagnosis of meningitis was made, the emerging laboratory and typical clinical features suggestive of KD prompted a quick diagnostic review. His clinical condition improved on Aspirin and corticosteroids. Conclusion: Due to the risk of potential complications from KD and the management challenges akin to resource-limited settings, we highlight the need for a high index of suspicion by healthcare providers when faced with febrile children with mucocutaneous lesions.

[Impact of antiretroviral therapy on the biological profile of HIV positive children followed-up at Yaounde University Hospital in Cameroon]

Introduction

L'objectif de ce travail était d’évaluer l'impact du traitement antirétroviral sur le profil biologique des enfants VIH positifs suivis au Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Yaoundé au Cameroun.

Méthodes

Il s'agissait d'une étude rétrospective réalisée de Mai 2003 à Décembre 2012 au CHU de Yaoundé au Cameroun. Pour cette étude, nous avons obtenu une clairance éthique.

Résultats

L’âge moyen était de 54.02±46.34 mois. The sexe ratio était de 0.96 en faveur des garçons. Le diagnostic s’était fait tardivement (74.2%) ainsi que la mise sous traitement (83.3%). Seuls 36 des 116 enfants (31%) avait pu avoir un bilan biologique à l'initiation du traitement antirétroviral et six mois après l'initiation du traitement antirétroviral. Après six mois de traitement, nous avons enregistrés une augmentation significative des paramètres biologiques suivants: taux de glycémie de 0.09g/L (0.75-0.84; p= 0.007), pourcentage de CD4 chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans de 4.62% (20.12-24.75; p = 0.022), valeur absolue de CD4 chez les enfants de plus de 5 ans de 294 cellules/mm3 (151.18-445.18; p = 0.011), le rapport CD4/CD8 de 0.35 (0.55-0.90; p = 0.000). Enfin, après six mois de traitement, on enregistrait une baisse significative de la charge virale du VIH de 3.90 log (5.85-1.95; p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Il ressort de cette étude que la restauration immunitaire et la suppression virologique peuvent être obtenus après six mois de traitement antirétroviral. Cependant, des efforts doivent encore être faits en ce qui concerne la prise en charge du suivi biologique, gage d'un bon suivi thérapeutique au Cameroun.

[Epidemiological distribution of HIV infection among pregnant women in the ten regions of Cameroon and strategic implications for prevention programs]

Introduction

Le Cameroun se situe dans un contexte d’épidémie généralisée du VIH. La sous-population des femmes enceintes, facilement accessible au sein de la population générale, représente une cible probante pour mener la surveillance du VIH et estimer l’évolution épidémiologique. L'objectif de notre étude était d’évaluer la distribution épidémiologique du VIH chez les femmes enceintes.

Méthodes

Étude transversale menée en 2012 chez 6521 femmes enceintes (49,3% âgées de 15-24 ans) en première consultation prénatale (CPN1) dans 60 sites des 10 régions Camerounaises. L'algorithme en série a été utilisé pour le sérodiagnostic du VIH.

Résultats

La prévalence du VIH était de 7,8% (508/6521), avec une différence non significative (p = 0,297) entre milieu rural (7,4%) et milieu urbain (8,1%). En zone rurale, cette prévalence variait de 0,7% à l'Extrême-Nord à 11,8% au Sud. Cependant, en zone urbaine elle variait de 4% à l'Ouest à 11,1% au Sud-Ouest. Suivant l’âge, la prévalence était plus élevée (11,3%) chez les femmes de 35-39 ans. Suivant le niveau de scolarisation, la prévalence du VIH était plus faible (4,4%) chez celles non-scolarisées, et plus élevée (9,3%) chez celles ayant un niveau primaire. Selon la profession, l'infection était plus élevée chez les coiffeuses (15,5%), secrétaires (14,8%), commerçantes (12,9%) et institutrices/enseignantes (10,8%).

Conclusion

La prévalence du VIH reste élevée chez les femmes enceintes au Cameroun, sans distinction entre milieux rural et urbain. Les stratégies de prévention devraient s'orienter préférentiellement chez les femmes enceintes âgées, celles du niveau d'instruction primaire, et celles du secteur des petites et moyennes entreprises.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection in a child revealed by a massive purulent pericarditis mistaken for a liver abscess due to Staphylococcus aureus

Massive purulent andacute pericarditis in children is a life-threatening disease associated with high mortality. It has been described tocomplicate usuallya bronchopulmonary infectionbut is currently uncommon in the era of antibiotics. Acute and massive purulent pericarditis has been rarely reported in children in association with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This is a case of a10-year-old boy who presented with signs of sepsis and cardiac tamponade due to a massive staphylococcal purulent pericarditis complicating an unknown HIV infection.The child underwent pericardiectomy, intensive treatment, and survived this life-threatening disease.

Sexual activity of adolescent school girls in an urban secondary school in cameroon

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to describe the extent of sexual activity in adolescent school girls.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study with prolective collection of data carried out at Lycée General Leclerc, Yaounde (Cameroon), from October 1 to November 30, 2011. Heterosexual coitus was considered as sexual activity. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was proposed to all consenting girl students aged 10 to 19 years. The data were analyzed using Epi Info 3.2.1 and Microsoft Excel 2007 software.

RESULTS

Of the 2660 students who responded to the questionnaire, 21.3% (566) admitted being sexually active. Out of these, 64.3% (364) were aged between 10 and 16 years at their first heterosexual contact. The mean age at the first sexual intercourse was 15.3 years. Although 56.4% (319) of the sexually active respondents had only one sexual partner, 43.6% (247) of them had at least two partners. Sexual activity was occasional in 71.4% of those being sexually active. Meanwhile, 52.1% (295) of the sexually active adolescent girls used condoms during sexual intercourse, 41.5% (235) did so occasionally, and 6.4% (36) had regular unprotected sex.

CONCLUSION

More than one-fifth of adolescent girls were sexually active in this study. Sexual intercourse started mostly at the age of 16 or less, and it was mostly occasional. Half of the cases had multiple sexual partners, and half were not using condoms during sexual intercourse. We, thus, recommend the implementation of interventions aimed at delaying the age of the first sexual intercourse and accessibility of condoms to students in this setting.

[Early neonatal mortality and its determinants in a Level 1 maternity in Yaounde, Cameroon]

Introduction

Méthodes

Résultats

Conclusion

[Descriptive aspects of HIV/AIDS in patients aged 50 years and over followed at the Treatment Center of Bafoussam - Cameroon]

Introduction

La littérature scientifique dispose de très peu de données relatives à l’épidémiologie du VIH chez les sujets âgés en Afrique subsaharienne. Au Cameroun, les caractéristiques épidémiologiques de l'infection par le VIH chez les sujets âgés de 50 ans et plus ne sont pas documentées.

Méthodes

Dans une étude de cohorte rétrospective et une enquête transversale, nous avons comparé les caractéristiques clinico-biologiques et la survie post thérapeutique des patients âgés de 50 ans et plus, sous traitement antirétroviral au Centre de Traitement Agrée de Bafoussam - Cameroun, aux adultes plus jeunes.

Résultats

L’âge moyen était de 39 ans, les extrêmes étant 17 et 88 ans. Les sujets âgés de 50 ans et plus représentaient 14,1% des cas. Les plus âgés étaient moins bien informés sur les modes de transmission du virus (p = 0,04). Leur séropositivité au VIH était le plus souvent découverte au décours d'une infection opportuniste (p = 0,02). La fréquence de comorbidité était significativement plus élevée chez les personnes âgées de 50 ans et plus (p < 10-5). Nous n'avons pas retrouvé une association statistiquement significative entre l'observance thérapeutique et l’âge (p = 0,83). La survie post-thérapeutique n’était pas significativement liée à l’âge (p = 0,81).

Conclusion

Les sujets âgés ne sont pas à l'abri du VIH. La promotion du dépistage et les programmes d’éducation sanitaire relatifs au VIH/SIDA devraient être renforcés au sein de cette communauté déjà affaiblie par le poids de l’âge, afin de réduire l'incidence du SIDA et de leur assurer prise en charge précoce.

[Study of factors related to adherence to antiretroviral therapy among patients followed at HIV/AIDS Unit in the District Hospital of Dschang, Cameroon]

Introduction

Etudier les facteurs liés à l'observance au traitement antirétroviral chez les patients adultes suivis à l'Unité de Prise en Charge du VIH/SIDA (UPEC) de l'hôpital de District de Dschang.

Méthodes

Dans une étude descriptive transversale conduite à l'hôpital de District de Dschang, l'observance a été évaluée sur la base des déclarations des patients et sur la régularité du renouvellement de leurs ordonnances (observance calculée).

Résultats

Parmi les 389 patients répondant à nos critères d'inclusion, 356 ont été interrogés. La durée moyenne du suivi était de 27 mois. La moyenne d’âge était égale à 41 ans et le sexe ratio 2,46 en faveur du sexe féminin. Le statut sérologique était découvert pour 60,56% des patients à l'occasion d'un épisode maladif. Le niveau d'observance déclarée était significativement plus élevé que le niveau global de l'observance calculée (80,2% vs 51,5%, p<10⁻⁵). Les deux principales barrières à l'observance étaient l'oubli et le travail. Les patients référés dans cette UPEC étaient moins bien observants (p<10⁻⁴). L'observance au traitement antirétroviral était d'autant meilleure quand le taux de CD4 en début de traitement était élevé (p= 0,01) et que la durée du traitement était prolongée (p=0,00).

Conclusion

La discordance observée entre les résultats des deux méthodes utilisées pour estimer l'observance, tout en soulévant les contraintes liées à l’évaluation de l'observance thérapeutique, souligne l'importance des méthodes biologiques. Les facteurs individuels se sont avérés être les principales raisons de non-observance. Enfin, un accent devrait être mis sur les consultations d’éducation thérapeutique et le suivi psycho-social des patients sous traitement antirétroviral dans cette UPEC.

Competence of health care providers on care of newborns at birth in a level-1 health facility in Yaoundé, Cameroon

INTRODUCTION

This is an observational study which was carried out at a level one health facility in Yaoundé from June to July 2009. The aim was to evaluate the competence of health care providers towards newborns' care at birth

METHODS

Ten health care providers took care of three hundred and thirty-five pregnant women who were enrolled for the study after informed verbal consent in the delivery room.

RESULTS

Out of 340 offspring delivered and taken care of, 179 (52.6%) were male and 161 (47.4%) were female. Only two out of ten health workers had a WHO Essential Newborn Care (ENC) training. None of them had received any refresher course for the past two years. The mean gestational age of women was 39.5 ± 3.5 weeks. Resuscitation was carried out on 21 (6.2%) of the newborns including 7 (33.3%) who had birth asphyxia. Health care providers scored 100% in performing the following tasks: warming up the baby, applying eye drops, injecting vitamin K, identifying the neonate, searching for any apparent life threatening congenital malformations, preventing for infection after procedures and initiating breastfeeding. The score was 24% at neonatal resuscitation tasks. Low level of education was associated with poor competence on applying ENC tasks (p<0.001). Lack of WHO ENC training was associated with poor competence on ENC tasks (p<0.001) and poor skills on resuscitation (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

There is a need to reinforce the capacity of health care providers by training in WHO ENC course with emphasis on providing skills on resuscitation in order to reduce the burden of neonatal intrapartum-related deaths.

[Congenital bilateral eversion of the eyelids: management of a case according to the conservative approach at the University Hospital of Yaounde, Cameroon]

L’éversion congénitale des paupières est une affection rare. Son traitement en première intention est généralement conservateur, constitué de lubrifiant, d’antibiotiques, de manœuvres d’inversion de la paupière éversée et d’une éducation des parents. Nous présentons le cas d’un nouveau-né de huit heures de vie ayant une éversion congénitale bilatérale des paupières avec surinfection bactérienne. La ponction à l’aiguille de la conjonctive œdémateuse associée au traitement topique avec du sérum salé isotonique et des antibiotiques ont accéléré le processus de guérison. Une récidive n’a pas été observée lors des pleurs après trois semaines d’inversion des paupières.

HIV exposure and related newborn morbidity and mortality in the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon

Introduction

Few studies have established the role of maternal HIV infection on neonatal disease and death. In order to determine whether neonatal morbidity and mortality were associated to maternal HIV infection, a case-control study was conducted in the neonatal unit of the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé from July 2006 to December 2007.

Methods

Babies born from HIV positive mothers were recruited as cases. For each case, two babies born from HIV negative mothers were selected as controls. Informed verbal consent was obtained from the mother before inclusion of the newborn in the study. Information on demographics, history of pregnancy, diseases and outcome of the newborns were extracted from patients’ files. The distribution of these parameters between cases and control was analyzed using chi-square. Association of demographics, clinical and paraclinical parameters with mortality was explored using univariate analysis and logistic regression. Data were analyzed using Epi Info version 3.5.1 Windows.

Results

Out of 240 newborns enrolled, 80 were cases and were 160 controls. The mean age of cases was 1.69±2.73 days compared to 1.46±2.36 days for controls (p=0.26). Cases significantly differed from controls on mother’s marital status (p=0.02), level of education (p<0.001), number of prenatal consultations (p<0.001), anemia chemoprophylaxis (p=0.01) and drug abuse (p<0.001). Cases and controls were similar for prematurity, respiratory distress, sepsis, meningitis and urinary tract infection. The death rate was identical in both groups (p=0.52). Using Univariate analysis, risk factors associated to mortality in both groups were prematurity (p<0.001) and low birth weight (p<0.001).

Conclusion

This study showed no statistical difference in morbidity and mortality between newborns from HIV positive and HIV negative mothers.

[Anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia: report of one case at Mother and Child Center of Chantal Biya Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon]

Ectodermal dysplasia are rare genetic diseases characterized by the absence or dysplasia of some tissues of ectodermal origin. We present a case of a young boy seen at the age of seven and a half years for late eruption of teeth, morphologic abnormalities of the teeth and a feeling of exaggerated heat. The diagnosis of anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia was discussed. The absence of sweat glands on the skin biopsy slides was in favor of the diagnosis. Dental prostheses were put in place which the aim of permitting the child to eat normally and have a better self image.

Serum immunoglobulin E levels in onchocerciasis: the development of a radioallergosorbent test for Onchocerca volvulus infection

The effects of Onchocerca volvulus infection on immunoglobulin levels have been studied in subjects from three localities with different onchocerciasis prevalence rates. Infestation by O. volvulus provoked a 200-500% rise in total serum IgE levels. Immunoglobulins G, M. and A were increased less dramatically. To study further the IgE response, radioallergosorbent test (RAST) systems were developed using total extract of O. volvulus and Onchocerca supernatant (excretory-secretory) antigens. Both antigen preparations reacted with more than 80% of the onchocerciasis sera from the hyperendemic village, but the reactions were not proportionate to skin microfilarial density. There were also positive reactions with sera of some individuals whose skin biopsies showed no microfilariae, indicating prior exposure to the parasite. European control sera tested under similar conditions reacted only slightly in the RAST system. The developed RAST systems may thus be used for determining prior exposure to O. volvulus.