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PubMed2001

Prediction of the impact of logging activities on forest cover: a case-study in the east province of Cameroon.

The objective of this study was to test the value of the concept of the net commercial value of standing timber in predicting the impact of logging activities on forest-cover modifications. A study area was selected in the East province of Cameroon which contains major primary forests and which contributes strongly to national timber production. A Geographic Information System containing ecological and economic variables was used in combination with remote sensing data to define the net commercial value of standing timber in the East province. Taking account of the potential commercial value of standing timber improves our understanding of the spatial determinants of logging activities and of the resulting forest-cover modifications. The occurrence of logging-induced forest-cover modifications increases with the value of forest rent. In one of the study sites, half of the very high rent areas have already been logged. In that site, therefore, it is mostly the low rent or marginal forest areas that remain unlogged. This was not the case, however, throughout the study area as shown by the observations at another site.

Cameroon↗
PubMed2001

The AG recombinant IbNG and novel strains of group M HIV-1 are common in Cameroon.

The genetic diversity of group M HIV-1 is highest in west central Africa. Blood samples from four locations in Cameroon were collected to determine the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1. The C2-V5 region of envelope was sequenced from 39 of the 40 samples collected, and 7 samples were sequenced across the genome. All strains belonged to group M of HIV-1. The circulating recombinant form CRF02 AG (IbNG) was the most common strain (22/39, 56%). Two of these were confirmed by full genome analysis. Four samples (4/39, 10%) clustered with the sub-subtype F2 and one of these was confirmed by full genome sequencing. Recombinant forms, each different but containing subtype A, accounted for the next most common form (7/39, 18%). Among these recombinants, those combining subtypes A and G were the most common (4/7, 57%). Also found were 3 subtype A, 2 subtype G, and 1 subtype B strain. Many recombination break points were shared between IbNG and the other AG recombinants, though none of these other AG recombinants included IbNG as a parent. This suggests that there was an ancestral AG recombinant that gave rise to CRF02 AG (IbNG), the successful circulating recombinant form, and to others that were less successful and are now rare.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Marketplace conversations in Cameroon: how and why popular medical knowledge comes into being.

The author argues that buyers and sellers of Western pharmaceuticals at a local marketplace in Cameroon construct their ideas about illness and medicines in reaction to two kinds of situations in which they find themselves. The market situation induces people to adjust their medical beliefs to the economic transaction. Sellers are likely to inflate the efficacy of medicines and customers adjust their medical concepts to fit their limited financial means. In that way they rationalise their inability to buy all the drugs they would have liked to buy. The interview situation leads informants to produce rather specific and assured answers on topics about which they may know very little. Reasons include the inequality between interviewer and informant and the latter's wish to avoid making an ignorant impression on the interviewer. Three conversations held during fieldwork in 1983 are discussed.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1986

Schoolchildren and ocular onchocerciasis in the rain-forest of Cameroon.

The results of surveys among 188 primary school children in two hyperendemic rain-forest villages in South-West Cameroon are reported. The children were examined for their nutritional state and for lesions due to onchocerciasis, with emphasis on eye pathology. Clinical manifestations in the two villages hyperendemic for onchocerciasis were compared with those found in a hypo-endemic coastal village. The primary school age appeared to be the period with the highest increase in ocular, notably corneal, involvement in onchocerciasis. The prevalence of ocular involvement showed an increase from 42.8% in the 6-year age group to 100% in the 12-year age group. 17.5% of the children were considered to be at risk of developing serious ocular onchocerciasis. Significant correlation between nutritional state and severity of infection could not be demonstrated. Sex differences in onchocercal symptomatology appeared not to be significant. The importance of microfilarial concentration in the skin snip near the eye is stressed as a simple but important indicator of danger to the eye. Prognosis and therapy are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chlamydia ophthalmia neonatorum in Cameroon.

In the Ndoungué Hospital in Cameroon 449 new-born babies were examined for a month to check on the occurrence of ophthalmia neonatorum. Silver nitrate eyedrops 1% were applied at birth. The incidence of ophthalmia neonatorum was 19.4%; Chlamydia was found in 8 cases (incidence 1.8%) and gonococci in 4 cases (0.9%). Chemical conjunctivitis was suspected in 13 cases (2.9%). Slight conjunctivitis was seen in 68 cases and severe conjunctivitis in 19 cases (4.2%). A sexually transmitted agent was demonstrated in 6% of the slight cases and in 42% of the severe cases. Ophthalmia neonatorum due to Chlamydia was significantly more frequently severe and without specific features than those due to other agents. Although silver nitrate is still considered to be one of the most effective prophylactic measures for gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum, in 4 cases this disease still developed. Silver nitrate is ineffective against Chlamydia and is also often the cause of a chemical conjunctivitis. The search is advocated for more efficient medicines in Africa which are effective against both Chlamydia and resistant gonoccoci.

Cameroon↗
PubMed1993

Infections among pygmies in the Eastern Province of Cameroon.

The health requirements of pygmies is poorly understood because of their continued isolation from the other tribes in Central Africa. This study was undertaken among the Baka pygmies of the Eastern Province of Cameroon to generate basic health data among them. A total of 141 adults (18-45 years) were tested for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to the surface antigen (anti-HBs), antibody to the core antigen (anti-HBc) and antibody to the hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). All HBsAg-positive sera were tested for the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody (anti-HBe). The presence of antibodies to the hepatitis D virus was determined in most of the anti-Hbs-positive sera, and some of the HBsAg-positive sera. In addition to these, previous infection with syphilis, measles, HIV 1/2 and HTLV were determined by looking for the specific antibodies. We found HBsAg in 14.2% (20/141), anti-HBs in 93.6% (132/141), anti-HBs in 52.2% (73/140), anti-HCV in 7.9% (11/139, measles antibody in 99.3% (139/140), antibody to Treponema pallidum in 13.4% (18/134), antibody to HTLV-1 in 10.9% (15/138) and antibody to HIV-1 in 0.7% (1/140) of the sera tested.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Prevalence of infections affecting the child among pregnant women in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The prevalence of infections which have deleterious effects to either the mother or the fetus during pregnancy are unknown in Cameroon. To formulate appropriate antenatal screening policies for the Central Mother and Child Clinic in Yaounde, we tested random sera obtained from 1,014 stored samples previously obtained from pregnant women. One hundred and fifty sera were tested for the presence of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 544 for syphilis antibodies, 192 for antibodies to rubella and 192 for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. We found the HBsAg in 25.3% (38/150) of the subjects, antibodies against syphilis in 15.9% (87/544), antibodies to the rubella virus in 83.9% (161/192) and evidence of toxoplasma infection in 77.1% (148/192). Of the 38 HBsAg-positive subjects, 5.2% and 55.3% were positive for the HBe antigen and HBe antibody, respectively. We found a high prevalence for these infections in the antenatal clinical attendants. The data will be used to develop an appropriate control strategy for them.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Genetic variation in Cameroon: thermostability variants of hemoglobin and of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

The technique of heat denaturation was used in addition to electrophoresis for the detection of thermostability variants of hemoglobin and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in an attempt to measure the amount of genetic variability present in villages in the United Republic of Cameroon, Equatorial Africa. A minimum of three to a maximum of 13 thermostability variants were estimated for HbA and HbS, and a minimum of two to a maximum of ten thermostability variants were estimated for GdA, GdB, and GdA-. It is suggested that hemoglobin and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase thermostability variants are genetically determined and that the sites of these variants are at the hemoglobin and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase structural loci. The evidence for the existence of these hidden variants and their importance in the neutralist v. selectionist controversy are discussed.

Cameroon↗
PubMed1992

Loma camerounensis sp. nov. (Protozoa:Microsporida) a parasite of Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1757 (Teleost:Cichlidae) in fish-rearing ponds in Melen, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

A new microsporidian, Loma camerounensis, was found in the Cichlidae Oreochromis niloticus from the Melen fish-rearing station in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Xenomas were located in the gut from the oesophagus to the intestine, but preferentially in the duodenum. Dimensions of the fresh spores were 3.96 x 2.16 microns. The ultrastructural study indicated the following characteristics: parasite stages arranged in a random, unstratified manner in the xenoma; merogony by multiple fission; sporogonic stages isolated within a sporophorous vesicle containing several sporoblasts and polysporoblastic sporogony. Ultimately the spores appeared to be isolated in a single vesicle, but this was a secondary phenomenon induced by the intervention of tubules that resolved in partitions of the initial sporophorous vesicle.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Management and productivity of small ruminants in the north west province of Cameroon.

A survey showed that in the North West Province of Cameroon 92% of the farmers rear goats as against only 21% who rear sheep. The main constraint on sheep husbandry appeared to be a traditional belief that keeping sheep adversely affects a woman's fertility. Flock sizes are small (three to 48, median seven) but there was some tendency towards larger numbers in mixed flocks. There were considerably more females than males. Six systems for managing small ruminants were identified. The most widely practised was housing at night and tethering in daytime during the cropping season with either tethering or free-range grazing during the daytime in the non-cropping season. The most common housing system was an enclosed shed with walls of sticks, tree fern or bamboo. Floors of planks laid on the earth or slightly raised were used by about 48% of the farmers while 22% constructed raised slatted floors. Most farmers gave their animals salt on a more or less regular basis but otherwise intentional feed supplementation was rare. About 43% of the farmers thought it unnecessary to provide water. Breeding was generally uncontrolled and the progeny of the most active breeding ram or buck was often the main source of replacement males. The overall offtake rates were 20% for sheep and 24% for goats. Several flocks had no offtake while four (three flocks of goats and one of sheep) reported offtake rates of 65 to 80%.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1993

Factors which affect Gudali and Wakwa calf weights at birth and weaning on the Adamawa Plateau, Cameroon.

Birth and weaning data on zebu cattle (Gudali and Wakwa) of north Central Cameroon were analysed. Calf breed, sire and sex had significant effects (P < 0.01 or 0.001) on birth weight while parity and season of birth were not important. Calf breed, sex, season of birth and birth weight had significant effects (P < 0.05 or 0.01 or 0.001) on 8-month weaning weight. Sire and parity had no significant effects (P > 0.05) on weaning weight. Wakwa calves were heavier at birth (24.30 +/- 0.42 versus 22.6 +/- 0.56 kg) and weaning (158.32 +/- 3.46 versus 148.77 +/- 2.88 kg) than Gudali calves. An increase of 1 kg in birth weight led to an increase of 1.27 kg in weaning weight. Calves born at the end of the rainy season were heavier at birth, but were lighter at weaning than those born at the beginning of the rainy season. These results suggest that under extensive low input husbandry conditions calving should be programmed for the end of dry season/early rainy season (breeding during middle to end of the rainy season).

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Absence of Ornithodoros moubata, the vector of African swine fever virus, from the main pig producing area of Cameroon.

No evidence for the presence of soft ticks of the Ornithodoros moubata complex was found during a survey of African swine fever carried out between 1985 and 1988 in the West Province and southern parts of the North West and South West Provinces of Cameroon. The survey consisted of interviews of veterinary assistants and farmers, distribution of a questionnaire and tick searches both manually and with carbon dioxide traps. The absence of warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) from these areas was also recorded.

African Swine Fever↗
PubMed1996

Development and survival of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus sp. on pasture in Cameroon.

The development and survival of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus sp. on pasture at Bamenda, Cameroon were studied by spreading faeces containing strongyle eggs from mixed infections on 12 experimental grass plots from April 1988 to March 1989. Development of eggs to infective larvae during the rainy season (April to October) took place within one week. The infective larvae of H. contortus survived for 11 +/- 2 weeks (with a range of 7 to 13 weeks) during this period while those of Trichostrongylus sp. survived for 9 +/- 2 weeks (with a range of 6 to 12 weeks). No larvae were recovered from eggs spread on pasture during the dry season, except in December when unseasonal rains fell within 9 days of spread of the faeces. Rainfall was identified as the most important climatic condition affecting the development and survival of infective larvae on pastures at Bamenda.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1989

Disease and mortality in small ruminants in the North West Province of Cameroon.

Mortality rates and the prevalence of disease were assessed in 115 flocks of traditionally managed sheep and goats in two Divisions of the North West Province of Cameroon by means of a questionnaire to the owners. The mortality rate was significantly higher in sheep than in goats and also higher in young stock than in adults. Tethering the animals during the day resulted in significantly lower mortality in both adult and young sheep and also in kids. Disease problems of small ruminants, identified on the basis of signs reported by their owners, included intestinal parasitism, especially helminthiasis, tick infestation and associated diseases, pneumonia, goat plague (peste des petits ruminants) and Oestrus ovis infestation. Treatment of sick animals was only practised on a very small scale, often by possibly ineffective traditional methods. The owners identified tick infestation and diarrhoea as common causes of death. Recommendations are made on control measures suitable for application in this area.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2002

Distribution, population density, and status of sympatric cercopithecids in the Campo-Ma'an area, Southwestern Cameroon.

A study on species composition, distribution, and population density of cercopithecids in the Campo-Ma'an area, Southwestern Cameroon, was undertaken from December 1997 until August 2000. A total of 665.5 km of line transects was used for the census. Thirteen diurnal primate species including five endangered species (Gorilla g. gorilla, Pan troglodytes, Mandrillus sphinx, Colobus satanas, Cercocebus torquatus) were recorded in the Campo Forest, the greatest part of which is a logging concession. Cercopithecus nictitans (1.43 groups/km2), C. cephus (1.13 groups/km2), C. pogonias (0.81 groups/km2), and C. torquatus (0.51 groups/km2) occurred at medium frequencies compared to figures from other Central African study sites. Mandrill densities estimated (0.27 groups/km2) show that the area is very important for the conservation of this rare species. Guenon densities found inside areas with a high level of human activities did not differ significantly from densities estimated in areas with a lower level of human activities. C. torquatus densities were significantly higher in the areas with a low level of human disturbance and encounter rates with Lophocebus albigena also indicate a preference of less disturbed areas. Mangabeys are thus likely to be adversely affected by human activities in the area. In the Ma'an Forest, which has not been logged yet, ten species were confirmed. The population densities of two guenons (C. nictitans and C. cephus) were estimated to be twice as high in the unlogged forest area as compared to the logged forest of Campo. Other species are rarer in the Ma'an Forest than in the Campo Forest. Although mangabeys are adversely affected by human activities, the results still indicate that selective logging may be compatible with the conservation of cercopithecids, if a reduced damage logging concept and antipoaching measures are implemented. Increased hunting activities following logging operations will definitely have a negative longterm impact on primate populations in the Campo-Ma'an area if no further, more effective conservation measures will regulate wildlife use in future.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Protein supplementation of grazing cattle in the semi-arid zone of Cameroon.

The effects of cottonseed meal (CSM) supplementation on forage dry matter intake (FDMI), forage dry matter digestibility (FDMD) and average daily gain (ADG) of steers on pasture in the semi-arid zone of northern Cameroon were evaluated during 120 d in the dry season and the residual effects during 120 d in the rainy season. Thirty steers (229 kg and 2.6 years) were randomly assigned to a complete block design of 3 treatments (0, 0.5 and 1.0 kg of CSM as a protein supplement per steer per day). After feeding CSM to individual steers in the mornings, all were allowed to free graze a pasture of Andropogon spp. Every month, 2 steers per treatment were put into digestion crates and ad lib fed hand-clipped forage of similar botanical composition as that grazed by the remaining steers. Cottonseed meal supplementation increased crude protein absorbed (CPA), rumen turn over rate (RTO) and ADG. Forage intake was increased only with 0.5 kg CSM. Forage dry matter and cell wall (NDF and ADF) digestibility tended to be decreased with 1.0 kg of CSM compared with 0.5 kg or no supplement. Cottonseed meal supplementation during the dry season increased FDMI and RTO, but had no effect on cell wall digestibility, FDMD, CPA and ADG during the rainy season. Data from this study suggest that 0.5 kg of CSM can increase FDMI, RTO, and ADG of cattle during the dry season and that improvement can be maintained throughout the subsequent rainy season.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2006

Local genetic diversity of sorghum in a village in northern Cameroon: structure and dynamics of landraces.

We present the first study of patterns of genetic diversity of sorghum landraces at the local scale. Understanding landrace diversity aids in deciphering evolutionary forces under domestication, and has applications in the conservation of genetic resources and their use in breeding programs. Duupa farmers in a village in Northern Cameroon distinguished 59 named sorghum taxa, representing 46 landraces. In each field, seeds are sown as a mixture of landraces (mean of 12 landraces per field), giving the potential for extensive gene flow. What level of genetic diversity underlies the great morphological diversity observed among landraces? Given the potential for gene flow, how well defined genetically is each landrace? To answer these questions, we recorded spatial patterns of planting and farmers' perceptions of landraces, and characterized 21 landraces using SSR markers. Analysis using distance and clustering methods grouped the 21 landraces studied into four clusters. These clusters correspond to functionally and ecologically distinct groups of landraces. Within-landrace genetic variation accounted for 30% of total variation. The average F(is) over landraces was 0.68, suggesting high inbreeding within landraces. Differentiation among landraces was substantial and significant (F(st) = 0.36). Historical factors, variation in breeding systems, and farmers' practices all affected patterns of genetic variation. Farmers' practices are key to the maintenance, despite gene flow, of landraces with different combinations of agronomically and ecologically pertinent traits. They must be taken into account in strategies of conservation and use of genetic resources.

Cameroon↗
PubMed2003

Epidemiology of hip and wrist fractures in Cameroon, Africa.

Osteoporosis and fragility fractures are believed to be uncommon in Africa. To reevaluate this notion, we documented all patients aged 35 years and older admitted to the two main urban hospitals in Cameroon following a diagnosis of fracture during 2 years. Among 513 patients sustaining fractures (192 women, 321 men), 13.5% of all fractures in women occurred at the hip (n=26), 4.7% at the forearm (n=9), and 81.8% (n=157) at other sites (mainly tibia and femoral shaft). In men, the corresponding figures were 9% (n=29), 1.9% (n=6), and 89.1% (n=286). Of the hip and wrist fractures occurring in women, 80.0% were low energy trauma fractures due to falls, 8.6% were high-energy trauma fractures (road accidents), and 11.4% were undefined. In men, the corresponding figures were 42.9%, 34.3%, and 22.9%. Using the 1997 estimates of the population, the annual incidence rates of low-energy trauma fractures (per 100,000 persons over 35 years and above) were 4.1 in women, 2.2 in men for hip fractures, 1.2 in women, and 0.2 in men for wrist fractures. The pattern of most of the hip and wrist fractures in women is consistent with underlying bone fragility. The low incidence of fragility fractures is confirmed and is likely to be, in part, the result of reduced longevity as only 1.1% of women and 0.7% of men survive beyond 65 years of age.

Adult↗