Cameroon

A major health burden in Cameroon is malaria, a disease that is sensitive to climate, environment and socio-economic conditions, but whose precise relationship with these drivers is still uncertain. An improved understanding of the relationship between the disease and its drivers, and the ability to represent these relationships in dynamic disease models, would allow such models to contribute to health mitigation and adaptation planning. 

Malaria prevention in Cameroon mainly relies on the use of ITNs. Although several free distribution campaigns of treated nets have been conducted across the country, bed net usage remains very low. A household survey was conducted to assess knowledge of the population and practices affecting treated net usage in the city of Yaoundé.

This study showed that antibody responses against MSP-119 vary considerably in children from the different bioecological strata in Cameroon and could be linked to the differential exposure to malaria in the different strata.

Timing of the malaria survey influences estimates of the geographical distribution of disease risk, especially in settings with seasonal transmission.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite densities do not differ between capillary and venous blood in asymptomatic subjects for both gametocyte and trophozoite stages.