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PubMed2003

Molecular epidemiology of rotavirus infection in Western Cameroon.

Rotavirus is the major viral cause of diarrhoea in children worldwide. In this study, the first from Cameroon, the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus infection was investigated. Eight hundred and ninety diarrhoea stools collected from children under the age of 5 years in Western Cameroon between 1999 and 2000 were analysed for rotaviruses and further characterized by antigenic and genomic methods. Rotaviruses were detected in 21.9 per cent of stools and were highest during the cool dry season. Sixteen different electrophoretic patterns, 13 of long and three of short, were detected in the study area. The predominant subgroup detected was subgroup II (66.9 per cent) and atypical strains with long electropherotype, but subgroup I specificity were also observed. Rotavirus infection was shown to be an important component of diarrhoeal disease in young children in Cameroon. The results of this study in Cameroon reinforces the need to continue with surveillance programmes in Africa.

Cameroon↗
PubMed2002

Prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. As a leading cause of genital ulceration, herpes genitalis plays a role in facilitating the transmission of HIV. Although HIV infection is most prevalent in Cameroon, information is lacking about prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 infection in this country. GOAL: The goal was to determine the prevalence of HSV-2-specific antibody in blood specimens from individuals in Cameroon. STUDY DESIGN: Blood specimens were randomly collected from 410 clinic attendees (215 males, 195 females) in Douala, the most populous city in Cameroon. One hundred fifteen of the individuals (28.0%) were HIV-infected. Samples were tested by a type-common HSV IgG enzyme immunoassay not discriminating between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies and by two glycoprotein G-2-based enzyme immunoassays for detection of HSV-2-specific antibody. RESULTS: All but three blood samples were positive for type-common HSV IgG antibodies. Sixty-seven specimens (16.3%) were concordantly negative for HSV-2 antibody by both assays, and 287 (70.0%) specimens were concordantly positive. Fifty-six specimens (13.7%) yielded discrepant results between the two assays. CONCLUSION: On the basis of specimens with concordantly positive results, the overall HSV-2 seroprevalence was 70.0%. HSV-2 seroprevalence was significantly higher among HIV-infected individuals than among HIV-negative ones. Because of the serious morbidity and mortality caused by HSV-2, effective programs are needed to halt the spread of HSV-2 infection in Cameroon.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2004

Genetic diversity of HIV type 1 in rural eastern Cameroon.

To monitor the presence of genotypic HIV-1 variants circulating in eastern Cameroon, blood samples from 57 HIV-1-infected individuals attending 3 local health centers in the bordering rural villages with Central African Republic (CAR) were collected and analyzed phylogenetically. Out of the 40 HIV-1 strains with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) profile for both gag and env-C2V3,12 (30.0%) had discordant subtype or CRF designation: 2 subtype B/A (gag/env), 1 B/CRF01, 2 B/CRF02, 1 CRF01/CRF01.A, 2 CRF11/CRF01, 1 CRF13/A, 1 CRF13/CRF01, 1 CRF13/CRF11, and 1 G/U (unclassified). Twenty-eight strains (70.0%) had concordant subtypes or CRF designation between gag and env: 27 subtype A and 1 F2. Out of the remaining 17HIV-1 strains negative for PCR with the env-C2V3 primers used, 10 (58.8%) had discordant subtype or CRF, and 7 (41.2%) had concordant one based on gag/pol/env-gp41 analysis. Altogether, a high proportion (22/57, 38.6%) of the isolates were found to be recombinant strains. In addition, an emergence of new forms of HIV-1 strains, such as subtype B/A (gag/env), B/CRF01 and B/CRF02, was identified. The epidemiologic pattern of HIV-1 in eastern Cameroon, relatively low and high prevalence of CRF02 and CRF11, respectively, was more closely related to those of CAR and Chad than that of other regions of Cameroon, where CRF02 is the most predominant HIV-1 strain. These findings strongly suggest that this part of Cameroon is a potential hotspot of HIV-1 recombination, with a likelihood of an active generation of new forms of HIV-1 variants, though epidemiologic significance of new HIV-1 forms is unknown.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Molecular typing of Mycobacterium bovis isolates from Cameroon.

In order to gain a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis isolates in Cameroon, 75 isolates of M. bovis collected in three provinces of northern Cameroon were studied by spoligotyping. For 65 of these isolates, typing was also carried out by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with DraI, and 18 of the isolates were also typed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with probe IS6110-RHS. Molecular typing of the isolates by these techniques revealed a high degree of homogeneity, with 10 spoligotypes for 75 isolates, four PFGE profiles for 65 isolates, and three RFLP types for 18 isolates. Some types were present in the three different provinces, while some were confined to one or two areas. These results suggest that geographical mapping of M. bovis strains could be helpful for the control of bovine tuberculosis at the regional level. An interesting feature of all the spoligotypes was the absence of spacer 30, suggesting a common origin for all of the Cameroon isolates tested; an evolutionary scenario for the isolates is discussed. In addition, a comparison of the three techniques showed that for M. bovis strain differentiation in Cameroon and in surrounding countries, spoligotyping would be a more discriminating and practical tool for molecular typing than the other two techniques used in this study.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Feasibility of cytology-based cervical cancer screening in rural Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cervical cancer and its precursors in a rural population in Cameroon and to evaluate the feasibility of a cytology-based screening program in such areas. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study was conducted in the rural town of Bafang. Following an advocacy campaign, 750 women were recruited. After a clinical examination, all women had a Pap smear with the Cervex Brush. Each sample had two preparations, conventional and liquid based. The conventional smears were interpreted in Bafang. Cytologically abnormal cases, those with clinical inflammation and/or macroscopic cervical lesions, had a colposcopic examination and directed biopsy. HSIL and colposcopically abnormal cases were treated with large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). The liquid-based preparations and histopathology were performed in Geneva and the results sent to Cameroon for patient follow-up. RESULTS: Mean age and parity of the women screened were 43.7 years and 7.8, respectively. The conventional smears showed 3.6% cervical abnormalities: 2% (15/740) ASCUS/LSIL and 1.6% (12/740) HSIL. The liquid-based preparations showed 12.6% (91/722) cervical abnormalities: 10.1% (73/722) ASCUS/LSIL and 2.5% (18/722) HSIL. Fifty percent of samples in both preparations showed evidence of inflammation. Histology was performed on 64 colposcopically directed punch biopsies and LLETZ specimens. The histologic diagnoses agreed with the cytologic findings in 60% (14/23) of conventional smears and 85% (12/14) of liquid-based preparations. CONCLUSION: There is a high rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in the unscreened rural population of Cameroon. The situation is complicated by a high rate of cervical infection. A population-based cytologic screening program for cervical cancer would not be feasible in rural Cameroon because of high cost, low quality and limited technical facilities. Rural Africa requires an algorithm using a simple, low-cost technique of mass screening and an improved cytology service only to triage selected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

International health care perspectives: the Cameroon example.

The purpose of this article is to describe the health care system in the West African country of Cameroon and to make recommendations for quality improvement. The Cameroon health care system, used here as an example of the type of system often encountered in developing countries, is described in terms of factors influencing its operation with subsequent health outcomes. International assistance and collaboration with developed countries to improve the Cameroon health care system and health status of the Cameroon people are recommended.

Cameroon↗
PubMed2006

Farmers' perception on the importance of variegated grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus (L.)) in the agricultural production systems of the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Zonocerus variegatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) is known as an agricultural pest in West and Central Africa. However, its importance in the agricultural production system in Cameroon has not been investigated. The study assesses farmers' perception on the importance of Z. variegatus in the agricultural production systems of the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon. METHODS: Research was carried out in 5 villages of each of three Agro-Ecological, Cultural and Demographic Blocks (AECD-Blocks) of the Forest Margin Benchmark Area (FMBA). In each village, a semi-structured survey was used; male and female groups of farmers were interviewed separately. RESULTS: Z. variegatus is present throughout the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon, where it is ranked as the third most economically important insect pest of agriculture. In the farmers' opinion, Z. variegatus is a polyphagous insect with little impact on young perennial crops. The length of the pre-farming fallow does not affect Z. variegatus pest pressure in the following crops. The increased impact of the grasshopper observed today in the fields, compared to what existed 10 years ago is as a result of deforestation and increase in surface of herbaceous fallow. The damage caused by Z. variegatus is higher in fields adjacent to C. odorata and herbaceous fallows than in those adjacent to forests and shrubby fallows. The fight against this grasshopper is often done through physical methods carried out by hand, for human consumption. The farmers highlight low usage of the chemical methods and a total absence of biological and ecological methods. CONCLUSION: Farmers' perception have contributed to understanding the status of Z. variegatus in the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon. The results are in general similar to those obtained in other countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Designing and implementing an electronic health record system in primary care practice in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study from Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: To review the key issues related to the design and implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) system in urban primary health care (PHC) practice in Cameroon. METHODOLOGY: The goal of the project was to assess EHR as a tool to improve providers' performance, quality and continuity of care, and the availability of data in PHC practice in Cameroon. A locally designed EHR system called MEDCAB was developed. The system was based on the International Classification for Primary Care (ICPC) and was designed taking into consideration the PHC practice environment in Cameroon. An original cohort of 14 users was involved in the experiment. RESULTS: Users generally showed good acceptance of the system. Monitoring the use of the system at the early stages of implementation was important to ensure immediate response to users' comments and requests. Some of the key issues identified during the development and implementation of the system were: user involvement, the choice of an appropriate terminology, pre-existing data collection culture and leadership issues. Some positive achievements brought about by the system included promotion of good medical practice and routine availability of consultation data. CONCLUSION: Strengthening the medical record in general, and the EHR in particular, could contribute to its position as a valuable source of information for healthcare delivery, public health and policy making in Cameroon. Challenges to adoption are huge and successful implementation for any specific setting will require a comprehensive modelling of the local medical practice, the choice of an appropriate terminology and a co-ordinated approach involving all stakeholders.

Africa South of the Sahara↗
PubMed1994

Cameroon: an African model for final stages of guinea worm eradication.

The Cameroon Guinea worm eradication program initiated case containment activities in 1991 in the Mayo-Sava Division, the only endemic region in the country. These activities differed from the Pakistan program, the only other operational model for dracunculiasis case containment, in two important ways. In Cameroon, next-level supervisors received reports of new cases from village health workers during routine weekly visits to endemic villages. The Pakistan program established a faster case reporting scheme that allowed higher level personnel (sector supervisors and regional managers) to confirm cases within one week of worm emergence. Second, in Cameroon case containment activities were extended only to villages reporting five or more cases the previous transmission season and villages with recent confirmed cases. In Pakistan, all villages reporting cases during the previous year were included in the program. A village-by-village case search one year after initiation of case containment in the Mayo-Sava indicated decreases of 60% in the number of cases and 51% in the number of villages reporting cases. Based on the apparent success of the efforts in Cameroon, we propose a two-stage scheme for implementation of case containment. Both stages are based on rapid detection and containment of cases, within 24 hr of worm emergence, by village-based health workers. In stage 1, cases are reported and confirmed during routine weekly visits to the endemic villages by next-level supervisors. Weekly reporting should be extended to all villages with recent confirmed cases and to as many villages reporting cases during the previous transmission season as logistically possible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cameroon↗
PubMed2003

Estimating the number of helminthic infections in the Republic of Cameroon from data on infection prevalence in schoolchildren.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of infection with helminths is markedly dependent on age, yet estimates of the total number of infections are typically based on data only from school-aged children. Such estimates, although useful for advocacy, provide inadequate information for planning control programmes and for quantifying the burden of disease. Using readily available data on the prevalence of infection in schoolchildren, the relation between the prevalence of infection in school-aged children and prevalence in the wider community can be adequately described using species-specific models. This paper explores the reliability of this approach to predict the prevalence infection in the community and provides a model for estimating the total number of people infected in the Republic of Cameroon. METHODS: Using data on the prevalence of helminthic infection in school-aged children in Cameroon, the prevalence of infection in pre-school children and adults was estimated from species-specific linear and logistic regression models developed previously. The model predictions were then used to estimate the number of people infected in each district in each age group in Cameroon. RESULTS: For Cameroon, if only the prevalence of infection in schoolchildren is used, the number of people infected with each helminthic species will be overestimated by up to 32% when compared with the estimates provided by the species-specific models. The calculation of confidence intervals supports the statistical reliability of the model since a narrow range of parameter estimates is evident. Furthermore, this work suggests that estimation of national prevalence of infection and the number infected will be enhanced if data are stratified by age; this model represents a useful planning tool for obtaining more accurate estimates. Estimates based on data aggregated from three geographical levels (district, regional, and national) show that summarizing prevalence data at the national level will result in biases of up to 19%. Such biases reflect differences in the geographical distribution for the prevalence of each species. DISCUSSION: Developing more accurate estimates requires a better understanding of the differences in the spatial heterogeneity of each species and also better methods of incorporating this information when making estimates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[History of the onset and spread of sleeping sickness in Bipindi (southern Cameroon), from 1896 to today].

The aim of this article is to provide historical background on the onset and spread of sleeping sickness in the Bipindi area of southern Cameroon, from the first suspected cases in 1896 until today. Two recent events have created the need for historical perspective on this topic. In December 1994, an OCEAC mission led by Francis Louis discovered 7 cases in the area between the Lolodorf and Bipindi districts. The epicentre was the village of Bidjouka. Five years later, mass screening of all residents in the Bipindi district revealed a total of 44 cases. Although no previous medical studies are available, historical research indicates that the disease has always present in Bipindi area in a less prevalent and virulent form than in neighboring regions along the Nyong River. Bipindi is located about 140 kilometers northeast of Campo, an area on the border between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea where sleeping sickness has been a low-grade health problem since the 1880s. Many Cameroonian refugees forced to live in Campo during a war that ended in February 1916 returned with the trypanosome and subsequently contaminated people who stayed in Bipindi. Transmission of sleeping sickness in Bipindi can also be attributed to economic development since the end of the nineteenth century. Numerous plantations have been installed in the area. Migration and trade with the Gulf of Guinea have expanded greatly, especially involving areas on the border between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. This study is based on written documentations obtained from the National Archives in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and the "Colegio Claret" Library, in Luba (Republic of Equatorial Guinea) and on firsthand reports from reliable sources in the Bipindi area.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Coverage and costs of childhood immunizations in Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the association between household-level and provider-level determinants and childhood immunization rates in Cameroon while also calculating the cost of childhood immunizations. METHODS: This study uses multilevel regression analysis to calculate these relationships. The 1998 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey and the 2000 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey are the main sources of household-level data. These surveys are supplemented by data from a 2002 survey of health facilities conducted in three provinces. At the national level, immunization financing data were collected from the Ministry of Health and donors that support the national Expanded Programme on Immunization. FINDINGS: The 1998 survey found that nationally 37% of children were fully immunized; the 2000 survey found that nationally 34% were fully immunized. These results are strongly correlated with both the mother's level of education and the household's economic status. Multilevel logistic regression shows that maternal education level is a stronger predictor of positive immunization status than is relative economic status. Children of mothers with secondary education or higher education were 3 times more likely to be fully vaccinated than children whose mothers had not completed primary education. At the health-facility level, both having art immunization plan and regular supervisory visits from someone at the health-district level are strongly positively associated with immunization rates. The cost of routine vaccinations for each fully immunized child is 12.73 U.S. dollars when donors' contributions are included but not the costs of immunization campaigns. CONCLUSION: Studies conducted in the 1980s and 1990s found that costs per fully immunized child varied from 2.19 U.S. dollars to 26.59 U.S. dollars (not adjusted for inflation) in a range of low-income and middle-income countries. The relatively low rates of immunization coverage in Cameroon, and the strong influence of the household's socioeconomic status--particularly the mother's level of education--on immunization rates suggest that the effectiveness of the Cameroon programme could be increased by promoting immunization and directing such programmes towards households with limited resources.

Cameroon↗
PubMed2005

[Biogeographical distribution of snakes in Cameroon: the case of venomous snakes].

A preliminary analysis of the distribution of snakes captured in Cameroon between 1999 and 2004 is presented in this study. This work helps to provide a better understanding of the distribution of the venomous snakes. The main focus of this study was to identify regions of high diversity of venomous species, a useful step towards developing a national strategy of snakebite care and antivenom distribution. We recorded 4,910 specimens of 150 species from 361 localities throughout Cameroon. Among the ten provinces in Cameroon, the southwest province recorded the highest number of venomous snakes. Diversity was less in the far-north province, but the high abundance of Echis ocellatus seems to be responsible for many snake bites in the region. Of all venomous snakes, the forest cobra Naja melanoleuca was the most abundant in the forest region. The humid savannah region was dominated by Causus maculatus while the Sahelian part by Echis ocellatus. Given the abundance and high snake bite cases of the latter in the region, snakebite care from a national point of view should begin from the far-north towards the forest region of the south-west Cameroon.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Delivery outcome of adolescents in Far North Cameroon].

UNLABELLED: Delivery in teenager is associated with increased risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of teenagers (10-19 years or less) to the total number of deliveries over a 10 year period in the Maroua provincial hospital (Cameroon) This was a retrospective study. The deliveries of 3.328 teenagers were analysed as far as their contribution to the deliveries is concerned and how this contribution changed with time from 01/01/1995 to 31/12/2004 at the Provincial Hospital Maroua (Cameroon). Analyses were performed using Excel and Epi Info 6. The chietaiota2 tests of the tendency, taking in account all ten age groups, was used to appreciate the phenomenon over time. This trend was considered significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: During the study period 13.026 women delivered, 489 cases were excluded because the age was not specified. Finally, 3.328 teenagers were analysed out of a total of 12537 cases, as far as their contribution to the number of deliveries from 1995 to 2004 in the Maroua provincial hospital. Teenagers contributed for 26,54% of total deliveries in Maroua Provincial Hospital, (Cameroon). Teenagers of 16 and less contributed for 7,58%, and those aged 17 to 19 years contributed for 18,25%. We found out that the trend over the study period, has not changed (p>0.05). This study emphasizes the need of redynamisation of adolescents health services in Extreme North Cameroon. Studies should be done to determine the impact of young age on the delivery outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[On the distribution of the lung flukes, Paragonimus africanus and P. uterobilateralis, in the South West Province of Cameroon and in Eastern Nigeria as determined by examination of the intermediate crab hosts for infection with metacercariae (author's transl)].

During 1973-75 the distribution of the lung flukes, Paragonimus africanus and P. uterobilateralis, was studied in South West-Cameroon and in Eastern Nigeria, on the basis of parasitological examinations of the intermediate crab hosts Sudanonautes africanus, S. pelii, and S. aubryi, belonging to the family Potamonidae. 1000 freashwater crabs from 80 localities were examined for prevalence and intensity of infection with Paragonimus methacercariae. In Cameroon S. pelii was found to be a new intermediate host for P. uterobilateralis, and S. aubryi a new host for P. africanus. The morphology, behavior, and habitats of the crabs are summarized. In Eastern Nigeria only metacercariae of P. uterobilateralis were found. The main endemic area was located in the basin of the upper Imo River. Outside this area infected crabs were found only in and around Arochukwu, in the lower tributaries of the Cross River. This distribution differs from that given by Nwokolo (1974), which was based on the origin of clinical cases. These differences are discussed. In South West-Cameroon both Paragonimus species were found. The highest prevalence and intensity of metacercariae of P. africanus was seen in certain tributaries of the Mungo River in the area of Lower Bakossi. Proceeding northwards towards Mamfe, infections with P. africanus decreased steadily, whereas infections with P. uterobilateralis increased. On the upper reaches of the Cross River from the region around Mamfe and extending as far as the Nigerian fronter at Ekok, the crabs were infected exclusively with P. uterobilateralis. The unexplored mildle reaches of the Cross River may form a bridge between the endemic areas of this lung fluke in Nigeria and Cameroon.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Media reporting of tenofovir trials in Cambodia and Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Two planned trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis tenofovir in Cambodia and Cameroon to prevent HIV infection in high-risk populations were closed due to activist pressure on host country governments. The international news media contributed substantially as the primary source of knowledge transfer regarding the trials. We aimed to characterize the nature of reporting, specifically focusing on the issues identified by media reports regarding each trial. METHODS: With the aid of an information specialist, we searched 3 electronic media databases, 5 electronic medical databases and extensively searched the Internet. In addition we contacted stakeholder groups. We included media reports addressing the trial closures, the reasons for the trial closures, and who was interviewed. We extracted data using content analysis independently, in duplicate. RESULTS: We included 24 reports on the Cambodian trial closure and 13 reports on the Cameroon trial closure. One academic news account incorrectly reported that it was an HIV vaccine trial that closed early. The primary reasons cited for the Cambodian trial closure were: a lack of medical insurance for trial related injuries (71%); human rights considerations (71%); study protocol concerns (46%); general suspicions regarding trial location (37%) and inadequate prevention counseling (29%). The primary reasons cited for the Cameroon trial closure were: inadequate access to care for seroconverters (69%); participants not sufficiently informed of risks (69%); inadequate number of staff (46%); participants being exploited (46%) and an unethical study design (38%). Only 3/23 (13%) reports acknowledged interviewing research personnel regarding the Cambodian trial, while 4/13 (30.8%) reports interviewed researchers involved in the Cameroon trial. CONCLUSION: Our review indicates that the issues addressed and validity of the media reports of these trials is highly variable. Given the potential impact of the media in formulation of health policy related to HIV, efforts are needed to effectively engage the media during periods of controversy in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Wealth and sexual behaviour among men in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: The 2004 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Cameroon revealed a higher prevalence of HIV in richest and most educated people than their poorest and least educated compatriots. It is not certain whether the higher prevalence results partly or wholly from wealthier people adopting more unsafe sexual behaviours, surviving longer due to greater access to treatment and care, or being exposed to unsafe injections or other HIV risk factors. As unsafe sex is currently believed to be the main driver of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, we designed this study to examine the association between wealth and sexual behaviour in Cameroon. METHODS: We analysed data from 4409 sexually active men aged 15-59 years who participated in the Cameroon DHS using logistic regression models, and have reported odds ratios (OR) with confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: When we controlled for the potential confounding effects of marital status, place of residence, religion and age, men in the richest third of the population were less likely to have used a condom in the last sex with a non-spousal non-cohabiting partner (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.32-0.56) and more likely to have had at least two concurrent sex partners in the last 12 months (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12-1.19) and more than five lifetime sex partners (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.60-2.43). However, there was no difference between the richest and poorest men in the purchase of sexual services. Regarding education, men with secondary or higher education were less likely to have used a condom in the last sex with a non-spousal non-cohabiting partner (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.16-0.38) and more likely to have started sexual activity at age 17 years or less (OR 2.73, 95% CI 2.10-3.56) and had more than five lifetime sexual partners (OR 2.59, 95% CI 2.02-3.31). There was no significant association between education and multiple concurrent sexual partnerships in the last 12 months or purchase of sexual services. CONCLUSION: Wealthy men in Cameroon are more likely to start sexual activity early and have both multiple concurrent and lifetime sex partners, and are less likely to (consistently) use a condom in sex with a non-spousal non-cohabiting partner. These unsafe sexual behaviours may explain the higher HIV prevalence among wealthier men in the country. While these findings do not suggest a redirection of HIV prevention efforts from the poor to the wealthy, they do call for efforts to ensure that HIV prevention messages get across all strata of society.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Use of a tool-set by Pan troglodytes troglodytes to obtain termites (Macrotermes) in the periphery of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, southeast Cameroon.

At the northern periphery of the Dja Biosphere Reserve (southeastern Cameroon) we recorded a new use of a tool-set by Pan troglodytes troglodytes to prey on Macrotermes muelleri, M. renouxi, M. lilljeborgi, and M. nobilis. We recovered 79 puncturing sticks and 47 fishing probes at 17 termite nests between 2002 and 2005. The mean length of the puncturing sticks (n = 77) and fishing probes (n = 45) was 52 cm and 56 cm, respectively, and the mean diameter was 9 mm and 4.5 mm, respectively. Sixty-eight percent of 138 chimpanzee fecal samples contained major soldiers of four Macrotermes species. The chimpanzees in southeastern Cameroon appeared to be selective in their choice of plant material to make their tools. The tools found at our study site resemble those from other sites in this region. However, in southeastern Cameroon only one tool-set type was found, whereas two tool-set types have been reported in Congo. Our study suggests that, along with the different vegetation types and the availability of plant material around termite nests, the nest and gallery structure and foraging behavior of the different Macrotermes spp. at all Central African sites must be investigated before we can attribute differences in tool-use behavior to culture.

Animals↗