International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health

Risk Factors for Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium parvum Co-infection amongst Youthful Malaria Patients Attending Hospitals in the Buea Health District, Cameroon

2026-05-29T12:36:53+00:00

Background: Co-infection of malaria with gastrointestinal parasites alter host immune responses, contribute to anemia, and affect clinical presentation and treatment outcomes.

Aim: This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium parvum co-infection among malaria patients aged 0–20 years attending hospitals in the Buea Health District, Cameroon.

Method: It was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at Buea Regional Hospital, Muea Sub-Divisional District Hospital, and Family Care Clinic between January 5 and June 25, 2025. A total of 121 consenting malaria-confirmed patients were enrolled in the study. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect socio-demographic, environmental, and behavioral data. Fresh stool samples were collected from all 121 participants and analyzed by direct wet mount microscopy and 48 randomly selected samples from the 121 collected stool samples were further subjected to nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene (E. histolytica), triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene (G. lamblia), and Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) gene (C. parvum). Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and SPSS version 25.0, with associations assessed by chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression.

Results: Microscopy detected only E. histolytica, with an overall prevalence of 27.3% (33/121). Nested PCR revealed significantly higher prevalence rates; E. histolytica 52.1% (25/48), G. lamblia 8.3% (4/48) and C. parvum was not detected. E. histolytica infection was significantly (p=0.028) associated with flush toilet users (35.0%), compared to participants who use pit toilets (12.2%).

Conclusion: These findings highlight the critical need to integrate molecular diagnostic techniques into routine gastro-intestinal parasite diagnosis and underscores the need for better hygienic practices amongst flush toilet users in Buea Health District.

Efficacy and Safety of Topical Permethrin, Oral Ivermectin Versus Combined Therapy in Scabies: A Randomized Controlled, Single Blind, Cross-sectional Study in Bangladesh

2026-06-06T11:01:21+00:00

Background: Scabies is an intensely transmissible ectoparasitic skin infestation that continues to cause significant morbidity, particularly in populations with limited healthcare resources. Although topical permethrin 5% remains the standard first-line treatment, its clinical success is often reduced due to incorrect application techniques, frequent reinfestation, and the growing concern of therapeutic resistance. Recent evidence suggests that incorporating oral ivermectin alongside topical permethrin may enhance treatment outcomes with a promising future.

Aims: The present study was undertaken to comparatively assess the efficacy and safety of permethrin and ivermectin administered independently and in combination among patients diagnosed with scabies.

Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in several private medical clinics located in Gazipur, Bangladesh, over six months. A total of 150 patients aged between 18 and 60 years with a confirmed diagnosis of scabies were enrolled and randomly divided into three treatment arms. Participants in Group A were treated with topical 5% permethrin cream, Group B received a single oral dose of ivermectin at 200 μg/kg body weight, while Group C was administered both permethrin and ivermectin concurrently. Clinical assessments were performed weekly over a four-week follow-up period. In instances where complete resolution was not observed, the assigned therapeutic regimen was repeated once after the first week. Treatment effectiveness and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions were systematically evaluated throughout the study duration.

Results: Successful clinical response was achieved in 70% of patients treated with permethrin alone, 66% of those receiving ivermectin monotherapy, and 88% of patients managed with combination therapy. Statistical analysis demonstrated significant superiority of the combined regimen compared to either monotherapy. At the completion of the first and fourth weeks, cure rates were recorded as 70% and 92% in Group A, 66% and 86% in Group B, and 88% and 97% in Group C, respectively, further highlighting the enhanced effectiveness of the dual-drug approach. Adverse effects were reported in 6% of patients in the permethrin group, 4% in the ivermectin group, and 8% in the combination group, which was higher than their single use; however, these events were mild in nature, transient, and did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the combined use of topical permethrin and oral ivermectin offers superior therapeutic efficacy compared with either agent used alone in the management of scabies, despite a marginally higher incidence of mild adverse effects.

Prevalence and Diversity of Ectoparasites Associated with Wild Animals Sold as Bushmeat in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

2026-06-09T08:55:36+00:00

Background: Bushmeat consumption remains common in many parts of Nigeria, but contact with wild animals may expose hunters, traders, handlers, and consumers to ectoparasites of public health importance and possible zoonotic infections. Despite the frequent consumption of bushmeat in many communities, there is limited information on the prevalence and diversity of ectoparasites associated with these animals in southwestern Nigeria.

Aim: This study investigated the prevalence and diversity of ectoparasites associated with wild animals sold as bushmeat in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 48 wild animals belonging to five taxa were examined, including grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus), African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus), porcupine (Hystrix cristata), wild cat (Felis lybica), and bush baby (Galago spp.). Ectoparasites were collected through physical examination and combing and were identified using standard morphological identification keys.

Results: Overall, 45 out of the 48 examined animals were infested, resulting in an infestation prevalence of 93.75%. Three major groups of ectoparasites were recovered: ticks, lice, and mites. A total of 165 ectoparasites were collected, including Rhipicephalus spp., Ixodes cookei, Amblyomma spp., Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Linognathus spp., and mites belonging to the subclass Acari. Ticks accounted for the highest proportion of recovered ectoparasites, followed by lice and mites. Among the identified ectoparasites, Linognathus spp. had the highest infestation rate, whereas Amblyomma spp. had the lowest. Grasscutters showed the highest infestation level, while bush babies recorded the lowest prevalence of infestation. A significant difference was observed in the distribution of ectoparasite groups among the examined animals.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of ectoparasites observed in this study highlights the potential public health risks associated with handling and consuming wild animals sold as bushmeat. Increased awareness among hunters, traders, handlers, and consumers on safe handling practices is necessary to reduce the risk of ectoparasite exposure and possible zoonotic disease transmission.

Analysis of the Clinical Effect of One-to-One Nursing Combined with Family Nursing in Extremely Premature Infants: A Retrospective Comparative Study

2026-06-11T07:17:29+00:00

Background: Extremely premature infants, born before 28 weeks of gestation, have underdeveloped organ systems and are highly susceptible to complications such as infection, apnea, and feeding intolerance. Traditional NICU care often limits parental involvement, which may negatively affect infant development and increase caregiver anxiety. Family-centered nursing combined with individualized one-to-one care has been proposed to improve clinical outcomes and support both neonatal growth and parental psychological well-being.

Objective: To explore the application value of one-to-one specialized nursing combined with family nursing mode in the clinical care of extremely premature infants (Extremely premature infants were defined according to the WHO criterion as gestational age less than 28 weeks, and most enrolled infants had a birth weight below 1000 g.). This study retrospectively analyzed 86 extremely premature infants from two hospitals, aiming to explore the influence of the combined nursing scheme on complication rate, growth and rehabilitation progress, as well as psychological state and nursing satisfaction of family members, so as to provide evidence-based reference for clinical promotion of high-quality neonatal nursing.

Methods: A total of 43 extremely premature infants admitted to the NICU of Yulin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from 2016 to 2025 were selected as the observation group, and another 43 eligible extremely premature infants from Yulin Children’s Hospital were set as the control group. The control group received conventional NICU nursing, while the observation group adopted one-to-one exclusive nursing combined with family participation intervention. This study passed ethical committee approval and all guardians signed informed consent. The complication rate, physical development indexes, oxygen supply duration, full oral feeding time and hospitalization days were compared between the two groups. Meanwhile, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were adopted to evaluate family members’ mood and nursing satisfaction.

Results: The overall complication rate of the observation group was obviously lower than that of the control group (P＜0.05). The daily weight gain, body length and head circumference of infants in observation group were higher; the time of oxygen therapy, complete oral feeding and hospital stay were significantly shorter with statistical differences (P＜0.05). After intervention, SAS and SDS scores of family members in observation group were remarkably lower, while nursing satisfaction was higher (P＜0.05).

Conclusion: The combined model of one-to-one nursing and family nursing can effectively reduce the occurrence of complications of extremely premature infants, accelerate physical development and functional recovery, and shorten hospitalization time. It can also relieve negative emotions of family members, improve their nursing ability and overall satisfaction, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Prevalence and Associations of Asymptomatic Mycoplasma genitalium with High-risk Human Papillomavirus among Women in a Rural Community in Nigeria

2026-06-20T11:20:40+00:00

Background: Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen) is an emerging sexually transmitted infection that is frequently asymptomatic and underdiagnosed. Local data on its occurrence alongside high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remain limited in Nigeria.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of Mgen among asymptomatic women with positive HPV screening and compare it with that of age-matched HPV-negative controls.

Study Design: Comparative, cross-sectional, community-based study nested within a larger cervical cancer and HPV screening programme.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Ikire, Southwestern Nigeria, from February 2023 to July 2024. Samples were stored at -80°C at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex.

Methods: High vaginal swab samples were obtained by self-sampling from sexually active women aged 25-49 years. A total of 186 banked samples were selected, comprising 93 randomly selected HPV-positive women and 93 purposively selected, age-matched HPV-negative controls. Mgen was detected using the ScreenFire Zebra BioDome assay.

Results: The mean age was 35.10 ± 7.063 years. Mgen was detected in 8 of 92 HPV-positive women (8.7%) and 2 of 91 HPV-negative controls (2.2%), giving an overall prevalence of 5.5%. Mgen positivity was fourfold higher among HPV-positive women than among controls (OR = 4.238, 95% CI = 0.875-20.533), although the association was not statistically significant (p = 0.052). Mgen was significantly associated with high- to moderate-risk HPV strains (p = 0.048), but not with HPV-16 (p = 0.330).

Conclusion: Mgen co-infection occurred among women with HPV infection in this rural community and was more frequent among HPV-positive women.